Waters

Now when people talk ABOUT you, they will have to say: Poor LITTLE edie! I can't wait! You are my hero!

Are we supposed to change our weights on a certain day or at the end of the challenge or as we lose weight?

Labor day is the first Monday of September. Thanksgiving is the third thursday of November.

Good morning all! If a good restriction is supposed to put us in the green zone where we feel satiety and not thinking about food, maybe you aren't in the green zone. Just maybe. I'm still trying to figure this out. My goal, I hope, is just like the book says, not having an interest in food. I know I am there sometimes and sometimes not quite. I WANT to be there. I WANT to not be obessed with food. Maybe the band is our antibuse. You know, the drug alcoholics take. I think if someone asks me what I am doing to lose weight I'll tell them I'm on bantibuse. People are looking, but so far no one has said anything about the weight loss. I've drop a size or two but still wear the big pants. If I hold out the waist band on my shorts I can see the floor! Couldn't do that before! Bye for now, gotta go buy pinapple juice! Thanks for all the daily info and support, I sincerely mean that.:car:

Rhonda, am I counting right? Do you have 6.6 in a 10cc band? I started to feel what restriction is like. Had an episode with 3 ritz crackers on Monday night. Couldn't figure out what you guys were talking about PB,ing. Althought I didn't vomit those crackers just got stuck and it hurt and my mouth started watering like crazy and all I could think of was: OHMYGOSH! THIS IS IT! I tried to drink a little water but that made it worse. I ended up just waiting for it to go down. Someone wrote about standing over the kitchen sink for a half hour crying and it hurt her so bad. I kept thinking about that and trying not to get upset and watching the clock. Then last night I had baked fish for dinner. It was soft and I took small bites and it got stuck and I just sat there pretending to listen to the conversation around me. My husband reached over and took a piece of fish off my dish and said I don't think you'll be able to finish that. He was right. The best part is, I wasn't thinking about food at all last night! I honestly think I was too scared to eat! That "sticking" is an ugly feeling. BTY, I got the book through Amazon.

I am hoping to find out where some of us are and how we are feeling at this point after banding. I really want to know if there is an average fill to reach that point of satiety or sweet spot. Thank You for taking the time to contribute. Voting in and viewing a poll To vote in a poll, simply select which option you want to vote for, and click the [Vote!] button. You may view the current results for a poll before you vote by clicking the 'View Results' link. Voting in a poll is entirely optional. You may vote for any of the available options, or cast no vote at all. Generally, once you have voted in a poll, you will not be able to change your vote later, so place your vote carefully!

Remember, DIGESTION BEGINS IN THE MOUTH, CHEW YOUR FOOD! Whether we have a band or not, we should all learn to chew our food properly AND teach our kids to take time and do the same. I have been paying closer attention to the kids and they gulp thier food just like I did. I keep thinking that if I can help them change at an early age, maybe, just maybe they won't be like me. So now, no one gets water or any kind of drinks with the meal and they are encouraged to chew well. Yes Stephanie, I think you should get the fill. ( My brand new granddaughter's name too!) Here is some information I think everyone will want to read. The chapter is adjusting the lap band: The adjustability of the lap-band is it's most importabt feature. We should use it skillfully, wisely and WITH ENTHUSIASM! With the addition of fluid we are looking to achieve two effects: A state of SATIETY or the feeling of not being hungry and SATIATION, a sense of being satisfied by the amount of food that you have eaten. We are seeking a state of satiety, of not being hungry, of not being INTERESTED in food, of being in the green zone. This is the most important of the two effects and is the principal reason why the band works so well. This feeling of satiety will enable you to stick to the rule of no more than 3 meals a day. We don't mind if you have less than 3 meals but no more than 3. If after an adjustment you find that you are still looking for a snack in between meals or even feeling hungry, tell us and we can add more fluid. This is one of the most important markers to us that you need more fluid. Too little fluid in the band is WASTING the OPPORTUNITY! Too much fluid is HARMING the process. In this book, the author talks about 3 zones and he has happy or sad face illustrations. The first one is a yellow zone. :help:Not enough fluid added to the band, Too much space for food to pass through with little effect of causing satiety. Second is the green zone:D. This is the target zone. You are not hungry and food is not of much interest to you. You spend little time thinking about food and you feel comfortable after a small amount. Third is the red zone :angry. The band is too tight or there is something wrong with the position which causes obstruction. The range of foods you eat becomes limited. You may vomit to bring up what seems to be stuck. You can only eat soft foods like chocolate or ice cream which is called maladaptive eating. You can actually put on weight in this zone because of eating high fat foods or wrong foods. There is a lot more info in the book but I thought I would share the zones with you. He talks about band fills too. He states a first fill for a VG band is 3.5 -4.0cc. I should have been there a while ago. How depressing, so much time wasted. Bye for now

I took all of my credit card statements and receipts from weight watchers Jenny craig, nutrisystem, curves and listed all the over the counter stuff I took for weight loss. He was glad to see my proof and waivered the 6 month issue. But even if you go to him/her first, by the time you see the lap band doctor and have all the tests it will at least be 8 weeks and with your proof of diets, your PCP will know you mean business and sign the form. Good Luck

I slipped off too! Name....Challenge start wgt....current wgt.....chall. goal.....To go Huntersmom... 174...................174................159...... .....15 SWEETY.........202...................200....... ... .....180............20 MJsafari..........268...................268.... ... ........238............30 captdanbo.......211....................211..... ... . ....185............26 PaulaD............216....................216... ... ........199............17 Stefanie42467..206...................206....... ... .....175............31 Suzzzie. .........346....................346......... .....315............31 glindab............277....................277.. ... ..........250............27 MM.................242....................242.. ... ..........227............15 finallythin.........254....................254. ... ...........225............29 BeckieT...........259....................259... .............239.............20 Miscontext.......303....................303....... ..........275.............28 ja9va...............207....................207.... .............182..............25 wombat712......180....................180......... .........165.............15 Texasmom5573....252..................252.......... .........230..............22 Waters...............214................213.....................190............24

Suzzie, You make me laugh! Thanks! I was very upset and I think it was that and anger which goaded me into getting some answers. I have 5cc in there now and think at times I am feeling something like a little fullness in my chest but I will be going back and what's that you say Suzzzie? 6cc feels pretty good? OK, I will be getting 6! Thank You!

I have 5cc in my now 10cc band with a little restriction, I think.

Suzzie, I was like that all the time. I gave it a week or 2 at the most and called for a fill. I have a book that states if you don't do that then you are wasting time and the reason for the band. Maybe, just maybe you shouldn't wait so long in between fills.

Hi Everyone, Went for my 6th fill on Friday and had a bit of a discussion with the "fill tech". I was told there was 2.7cc's in a 4cc band. I told her that I wasn't feeling any restriction at all, that I could eat everything in sight and then some. I told her the only thing that keeps me from eating is me! She told me I wasn't working hard enough at losing weight, that I wasn't exercising enough and that I wasn't committed to losing weight. She also said that I wanted the band to do everything for me. She weighs about 3 pounds! I got really angry. I was still ticked off from the "family feud" on Wednesday! I told her to fill the band all the way. I was paying out of pocket for these visits and if she didn't hear what a B_t__h she was sounding like then she was the one with the problem. I also said I better not even feel a pinch. Meanwhile, I'm on my cell phone calling the surgeon's office and asking his PA to come down to the exam room where I am. He could hear I was angry. So now I'm laying on the exam table (and I must admit she did a great job of getting the needle in without much pain) when I started thinking..... Hmmmm, maybe I don't have a 4cc band, maybe it's a 10cc band......?? I must have said that out loud because she started snickering and said you really are looking for something to blame. I really wanted to kick her in the face. With every ounce of self control I own, I asked the tech to PLEASE check the O.R. note in my chart to make sure I had a 4cc band before she took the needle out. She refused, I grabbed the syringe still stuck in my belly and said "CHECK THE DAMN CHART" firmly but quietly. Did I know the P.A. was standing behind the curtain listening to all this? Noooo!!! Ok, so now I see the P.A. as he walks in the room and picks up my chart, starts flipping through the reports and suddenly stops, looks at me like someone had a gun to his head and announces "SHE DOES HAVE A VG BAND." Meanwhile, I'm hanging on to the syringe, trying to grab the chart, yelling I WANT TO READ THAT REPORT GIMME THAT CHART. He did and I did. Yes folks, I do have a 10cc band. I looked that tech square in the eye and said put 5cc's in that band and don't argue with me. She had to restick me because she was only using a 3cc syringe. The P.A. was apologizing like crazy. Now here's the best part. There is a younger woman who had surgery the same day I did and it just so happened her appointment was after mine. We got to talking in the waiting room before seeing the tech and we were both commiserating on how we can still eat everything. After the fill, I went up to her in the waiting room and told her what had happened. I told her to make sure the tech checks her O.R. report and I gave her my phone number. She called me as I was driving home and little techie messed her band up too. She also has a VG band. The doctor called me at home later that evening and I won't have to pay for any future fill visits. Oh YEAH! I also won't be seeing that tech again, who by the way, never uttered another word during the rest of that visit. And THE FAT LADY IS SMILING AND HAPPY CAUSE SHE'S RIGHT AGAIN! I'm not just another pretty face you know! Annnnd, I think I am feeling some restriction now. It's not a bad feeling, I just feel OK after eating. The moral of this story is: Read your O.R. report! Love, Me!

Just click on any one of the ticker things and it takes you to ticker land where you can sign in and make a ticker of your own!

SCgirlafm: If you are happy with the weight loss, I'd say you are one of the lucky ones! Be happy you are losing without further restriction. Continued good luck to you!

I'm a quilter too, only thing is I longarm for customers 24/7 and have to go on retreat to do my own stuff. Me too! I have a gammil optimum, have had it for years. Just closed the quilt shop in December. I'm done with cranky people! O2bthin. Love that name, wish I would have thought of it!

Yes, I too would like to know what good restriction feels like and what is P&B'ing?

Me too, MusicalM, I usually don't do well either with challenges, but I WILL try! I would love to be in onederland by Thanksgiving! Name....Challenge start wgt....current wgt.....chall. goal.....To go. Huntersmom... 174...................174................159...... .....15 SWEETY.........202...................202.......... .....180............22 MJsafari..........268...................268....... ........238............30 captdanbo.......211....................211........ . ....185............26 PaulaD............216....................216...... ........199............17 Stefanie42467..206...................206.......... .....175............31 Suzzzie. .........346....................346......... .....315............31 glindab............277....................277..... ..........250............27 MM.................242....................240..... ..........218............22 finallythin.........254....................254.... ...........225............29 BeckieT...........259....................259... .............239.............20 Holliwagz.........325....................325...... ...........295.............30 faithmd...........305....................300.3.... ...........283...........16.7 wombat712......190...................190.......... ........165............25 Waters............214...................214.................190.............24 Good Luck to all of us!

I finally had to stick my finger down and a bunch of slime came up, very easily I might add (sorry for the visual). I felt much better, but I think there was a little piece still stuck, or it was swollen, because I still had to spit for 15 more minutes. Now this morning I can hardly drink coffee, it is going down slow.... so do you suppose I irritated and made it swell, or do you suppose there is still a little piece of something....I NEVER want to go through that again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Why do we have to go through this? I know this whole fat thing is from an inherited gene! And to the lady who wondered about flatus... "An empty bowel produces gas" Not just foods. So keep something in there.:embarassed:

It is good to know that others feel the same way I do, but on the other hand, I truly wish none of us had to feel discouraged. I had to call the lap band tech (he does the fills) and explained that once in a while I feel a little tight in there but nothing to stop me from eating, EXCEPT ME! He asks that all the time: "What makes you stop eating when you do if you still feel hungry?" ME! I don't want to hurt anything in there. You know, I've been thinking why this "diet tool" is so different for me as far as being a success or failure (other than going through surgery). I came to the conclusion that for years I have been a closet dieter! I start on a diet or diet program like weight watchers or something and never tell my family. So when I blow it, I don't have to be embarrassed. As far as weight watchers goes, I never go back or see those people again. So I guess it's more of a private dissappointment. But with the band, my whole family knows and I can see them watching me to see how much I eat. The whole thing is too OUT THERE! Yesterday, I made fahjitas (I can't spell that word) and as we were eating, my skinny butt daughter looked at me and said "Houston, we have a problem!" They all laughed and man did I get PO'd! I scooped up every dish on that table and threw all that food in the trash! They stopped laughing real fast. Too late for them. I asked, how funny was that! "Now you can all feel like what it is to be hungry in front of good food and not be able to enjoy it like "normal" people. You all had your 3 bites and that's IT!" Skinny butt and hubby went home hungry, LIKE I CARE, RIGHT?! My mum always said "He who laughs last, laughs loudest!" I am in a foul mood and can't seem to pull myself out, which is why I'm writing this. I am hoping it will help me to PURGE my anger. I need to figure out who I'm angry at the most. Good Lord, my husband just walked up the stairs into the room where I am and handed ME a glass of ice tea! WhatsUpWithThat! Do you think he noticed I want to run away? Or maybe that I haven't said 2 words to any of them since last night? Maybe he noticed that I've been carrying a knife in my pocket waiting for the next A hole to make another crack. I told them I'll cut out their tongues, just like Thomas Tryon's book Harvest Home! (Betty Davis played in the movie, sooo good!) Holy shit, he's vacuuming! I'm scared. The hell I am, I'm taking advantage of this! I'm going to start a new quilt! Something for Christmas I think! Yes, that's just what I'm going to do! OK ladies and gents, I am going to lock myself in the attic (my personal sewing space) and I won't be out until that quilt top is made. I have a Christmas panel from that new line from Benartex, I think I'll do a round robin all by myself. There have to be quilters in this community, I know YOU know what I'm talkin about! OMG we can start a new thread Quilting LapBandits aka Loose Threads! Get it? posts.. threads.. No? don't get it?? Well, I thought it was good. AND IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING..... sorry, I forgot where I was. Geez, this is a long post and I feel like smiling AND the ice tea is good! See YA later and many thanks.

I have been the same weight since the end of July. I am 2.6 cc of a 4cc band with very little restriction. I am discouraged only because I am hungry and try so hard not to eat more than I should and in between meals. I feel like this is just another crappy diet.

I have 2.7 cc in a 4cc band and THINK I feel restriction once in a while. I can honestly say I actually can feel the food moving through the band. I think I chew my food too well! Unfortunately, I can still eat too much and weight loss is slow, 1lb/2weeks. I won't overeat only because I am scared to "break" something in there. I really want the feeling of full or satisfied to happen. I found out Friday my fills aren't covered by my insurance. They are $174 a fill. I am discouraged and feel like this is just another diet that is a bust. I have a fill scheduled for the end of the week. I am going to insist on a 3.5 fill, maybe. This will be my 6th fill. I DID start using Alli (oristat) to help with weight loss. I am getting desperate and embarrassed. I feel I should be doing better than I am. I cost us so much money with this surgery and the fills and I am hardly losing. In fact I lost more weight when I was on the liquid diet BEFORE the surgery. Did anyone do a poll on feeling restriction with a 4cc band? Thanks for listening

Hi Everyone, It's been a long time since I visited the site. I could tell you that I have been busy (which is true) or that I had a new grandaughter in July (which is true) but the real reason is that I have been so down and yes, it's because of very little weight loss. Once I was allowed to eat a regular diet after the surgery, I discovered I could eat anything and that I wouldn't be like some of the folks who never needed a fill and lost a lot of weight quickly. I was bummed. So then the fills started. My first fill was 10 or 11 days ago. Actually, it was the same day as my 1 month check-up. I had a 1cc fill (4cc band) on a Tuesday. I called the office on the following Friday to let them know that instead of feeling fuller, I felt looser. She explained that they just replaced air that was in the band with fluid and I said "well fill'er up again." I went in that same day and he put in 1.4cc of fluid. Hardly worth the trip! So I called the following Tuesday to whine and I went back in today. He said he'll put in 1.6 cc of fluid. I said how about 2cc. He struted about doing the "I am man thing" so I stuck my head out the door when I heard my doc's voice and asked if I could have 2cc's PLEASE! To my surprise, my doc came in and said SURE! I watched the whole time and the doc knew I was making sure I wasn't being skimped. He called me on it, I admitted to it, he laughed! He also told me that it was OK to get frequent fills in the beginning because the goal is to use the band as a tool. So if this doesn't work, I'll call on Monday to schedule again. The truth is my weight loss is so slow, it gets me down sometimes. Then I try to remind myself that my weight gain was never this slow and I could have gained 20 pounds in 6 weeks. If it continues like this maybe I will have lost 60 lbs by Christmas. Now that's a pleasant thought. Thanks for listening. , Me:o