Cassy

I have 18/20 and 22/24 summer clothes that are ready for a new home.

Steve and I will be there for sure!

I think it really depends for each person on how your body reacts to carbs. You have to change your lifestyle a little at a time. I was totally addicted to carbs and started the Atkins diet several times in my life but was never able to stay on it either. The last time I went on was for my pre-surgery diet and my doctor told me one very important thing that has stuck with me. You have to stay away from processed foods that have sugar in them because they work against you on that diet and in that lifestyle. Sugar is hidden in all processed meats and cheeses including milk, lunch meat, bacon, cheese, etc. Once I stuck with whole foods like slices turkey breast and roast beef and cheese with no sugar, as well as, Atkins shakes and bars with vegetables I was able to stay on it without problem and lost close to 15 pounds in ten days. I think if you decide you will go that route, try to wean yourself off the carbs little by little. Start month one with cutting your carb portions in half, then the next month in half again, then you go for the 50 or less carbs per day until you are able to do it without even thinking. Also, there are low carb versions of just about every bad thing out there so you should look for those items that are a trigger point to go carb beserk and replace those items with something better so you can have it but not throw yourself off if you have a craving. Now, that I have the band I am not as hungry for carbs and when I do have it I tell myself that I can have it after the protein and vegs...then I really can't eat that much of it anyway. Good Luck!

HI there - I have been using the Fill Centers USA doctor in Las Vegas since October and I think he is great! His name is Dr. Ricciardi and he does a great job. I actually like him better than my surgeon for his bedside manner and he is very encouraging. I definitely recommend giving him a try to see for yourself. Feel free to email me if you have questions.

Hello, I have to admit that I didn't get on the 5K thing right away. I was starting to get back to my walking in January and am working my way up to 3 x a week with that then I plan next week to start doing the work up to 5K in time for May. I have been letting the band do the work but I'm hitting a plateau and I know I have to get back to work again...ahh.. it was nice while it lasted.

I am in the same boat as you...they keep telling me to be patient. My new fill doctor told me to get in one gram per half your body weight in protein per day and 35 grams of fiber with 32 oz of water a day. It is a struggle to get it down if you're not used to it (and most has to be protein/fiber based liquid) but it helps a lot with feeling full and not hungry. Also, you need to stay away from letting yourself feel bored. If you are always by the kitchen or always bored you are going to eat more.

Hey everyone, I just noticed that I am not subscribed to this thread any more...WTF? Anyway, it makes me sad that you are all having some issues. I seem to be the exact opposite. I can't get to the point of restriction to save my life. I had it for about a week to ten days after my last fill and now I can eat like a cow again. One thing I can say is the band does strange things. I am going back for my sixth fill this coming Wednesday and hoping that I can get back to restriction. Has anyone developed dark circles under their eyes or noticed hair falling out? I think I'm not getting enough Protein or something... Let me know if you have any ideas. Other than that, the only time I've really felt some of the things you all have mentioned was on Christmas. I ate a stuffed mushroom and didn't chew it in between talking and it got stuck and came right back up after about 5 seconds of excruciating pain. At that moment I thought of all of the times you've mentioned how bad it hurts. Geez I hope things get better for everyone. Patience seems to be the key although not my strong suit at all. ...I have to make a shameful admittance. I just boxed up 150 pounds of sized 24/22/20 clothes to send to my mom and sister. That was 13 years of clothing from when I was in those sizes. Now I have exactly 5 shirts and 5 pants to wear and an otherwise empty closet. I have to admit that it felt good to shed those pounds.

Steve and I will come to either a Saturday or a Sunday once it has been decided.

I hit my first mini goal last week which was 235. The lowest I remember weighing as an adult. Now on to the second mini goal - 200 lbs...the lowest I remember weighing since I was 12. :thumbup:

I wish my doctors were able to tell me a little more about how hard it might be for you after the band in terms of knowing when you are filled correctly. They don't tell you that you really need to stay on top of them to get your fills to be effective. I am still eating way more than I should and I can definitely eat more than a 1/4 cup of food at one time. Heck, I can still drink a Starbucks tall size (12 oz) latte without blinking. Yes, I've lost 40 pounds but a lot of that was lost before my surgery on low carb. I'm a bit frustrated because I've had 5 fills and I've just finally started to have restriction. Up until now I have not felt anything and I've been feeling like I'm failing this process even though I'm following the rules. I am also doing the alpha-lipoc acid shots along with the Vitamin B-12 shots to help me with energy and I'm still not feeling very energetic. I know it's a learning process but I feel like I'm the one helping my doctors learn how to do this. I just didn't think it was going to be this difficult. On the plus side I'm only down 40 pounds and I hit my mini goal of 235 this past week. This is the lowest weight I can remember in the past 10 years. Next goal is to get below 200. I have been over 200 since I was 12 years old.

I wish my doctors were able to tell me a little more about how hard it might be for you after the band in terms of knowing when you are filled correctly. They don't tell you that you really need to stay on top of them to get your fills to be effective. I am still eating way more than I should and I can definitely eat more than a 1/4 cup of food at one time. Heck, I can still drink a Starbucks tall size (12 oz) latte without blinking. Yes, I've lost 40 pounds but a lot of that was lost before my surgery on low carb. I'm a bit frustrated because I've had 5 fills and I've just finally started to have restriction. Up until now I have not felt anything and I've been feeling like I'm failing this process even though I'm following the rules. I am also doing the alpha-lipoc acid shots along with the Vitamin B-12 shots to help me with energy and I'm still not feeling very energetic. I know it's a learning process but I feel like I'm the one helping my doctors learn how to do this. I just didn't think it was going to be this difficult. On the plus side I'm only down 40 pounds and I hit my mini goal of 235 this past week. This is the lowest weight I can remember in the past 10 years. Next goal is to get below 200. I have been over 200 since I was 12 years old.

I just got a fill last week and although I can still eat more than I think I should be eating...(around 1-2 cups depending on time of day)... I suddently have this feeling of acid reflux which I haven't had for close to ten years. Anyone else experienced this and what is causing this? Am I eating too much?

ok, so I had my surgery with Dr. Kirshenbaum in Denver because my insurance would not pay for the surgery and I had to pay cash. I wanted someone with experience but not someone who was out to rob me blind. So... Dr. K was both and about $15K cheaper than anyone else I could find with his experience. One thing I found at my first fill was that he wasn't so good at after care. He didn't know how to tell me to know that I was filled correctly...so frustrated and water logged, I left with only 1.5 ccs in a 10cc band. That was 10/31/08. ON 11/07, I decided to call Fill Centers to find out what doctor they had available in Las Vegas for fills. They set me up with Dr Ricciardi a "Bariatric Physician", not to be confused with a "Bariatric Surgeon". I chose the annual plan with the promise that if I didn't like him that I could go to anyone else in the Fill Center network. Cool. Appt set for 11/20 at 9am. I was very impressed by his staff and by him. Turns out he is experienced and young and he trains other doctors across the country to be "aftercare" providers for bariatric surgery. How Cool! He listened, talked for about 30 minutes about what I've been trying and told me that I come to his office now for all aftercare. Awesome! So, he fills it 1.5 cc's and is amazed that I can chug a full water bottle with 3.0 ccs after only 8 weeks. I personally felt like he should put more but thought I should trust him and see how it goes. Next day all is well and I am eating around 1/4 - 1/2 cup depending on how much water I've had that day already. I think I need a little more so I'll set up an appt to go back in another week. Let's see how much I can lose this week without much restriction. I see many others who had surgery the same time as me are at 3.5 or 4.0 and have good restriction so I don't want to waste too much more time waiting for something to work... I'll give it til after Thanksgiving to see and then I'll make an appt. All in all, I was very pleased with my fill center experience. They gave me a lifestyle guide, access to recipes and other things on their website and called me for a follow up to see how everything went. I am pretty impressed.

I would like to take a few of them if you wouldn't mind sending them to me. I will reimburse you for the cost of shipping via ground or regular post if that is something you are willing to do. I'd be looking for a pair of black, brown, or grey dress pants and a few shirts if they are available. If you prefer not to send I will understand.

33 for me so far...

I have several pairs of long legged brand new pants and jeans from LB. Let me know, they are waiting for you.

Thanks everyone! Steve and I had a great time today and we will see you next month (or whenever the next one is...) Felicia and PurpleSloan...I'll be in touch. Maybe we can find a fun activity to make a habit. I've always wanted to learn how to play golf... anyone else? If not, we can stick to other normal things. I'm up for trying new things though so let me know if you think of anything.

ok, so I had my surgery with Dr. Kirshenbaum in Denver because my insurance would not pay for the surgery and I had to pay cash. I wanted someone with experience but not someone who was out to rob me blind. So... Dr. K was both and about $15K cheaper than anyone else I could find with his experience. One thing I found at my first fill was that he wasn't so good at after care. He didn't know how to tell me to know that I was filled correctly...so frustrated and water logged, I left with only 1.5 ccs in a 10cc band. That was 10/31/08. ON 11/07, I decided to call Fill Centers to find out what doctor they had available in Las Vegas for fills. They set me up with Dr Ricciardi a "Bariatric Physician", not to be confused with a "Bariatric Surgeon". I chose the annual plan with the promise that if I didn't like him that I could go to anyone else in the Fill Center network. Cool. Appt set for 11/20 at 9am. I was very impressed by his staff and by him. Turns out he is experienced and young and he trains other doctors across the country to be "aftercare" providers for bariatric surgery. How Cool! He listened, talked for about 30 minutes about what I've been trying and told me that I come to his office now for all aftercare. Awesome! So, he fills it 1.5 cc's and is amazed that I can chug a full water bottle with 3.0 ccs after only 8 weeks. I personally felt like he should put more but thought I should trust him and see how it goes. Next day all is well and I am eating around 1/4 - 1/2 cup depending on how much water I've had that day already. I think I need a little more so I'll set up an appt to go back in another week. Let's see how much I can lose this week without much restriction. I see many others who had surgery the same time as me are at 3.5 or 4.0 and have good restriction so I don't want to waste too much more time waiting for something to work... I'll give it til after Thanksgiving to see and then I'll make an appt. All in all, I was very pleased with my fill center experience. They gave me a lifestyle guide, access to recipes and other things on their website and called me for a follow up to see how everything went. I am pretty impressed.

Hello, My husband just mentioned that he would like to come with tomorrow so I'm hoping that it isn't too late to add a "+1". Thanks!

Julie Ann, everyone is different. I was not able to go through the stages at all. I went straight from liquids up to day 3 to being ravenous and wanting to chew something on day 4 and 5 to eating mushy foods on 6 and just about every day eating something more solid. By day 10 I was eating like a horse with no restriction. Even after my first fill of 1.5 I had no restriction. I just got another fill of 1.5 and the doctor was shocked that i could chug an entire bottle of Water in 30 seconds without any issue. I have a little restriction now but I think I need more...so listen to your body and take it slow but if you are feeling hungry then things are passing through your band really fast. One thing I just learned from another lap band doc is that we should eat more Protein than Paula suggested. My new doc has several very successful band patients (100+ pounds) and he has them eating between 1/2 gram per pound or body weight in protein daily to 1 gram. ...I've just started adding more protein to make it up to that number and I started losing again so there must be something to it.

I'm here, whats up lady?

I'm glad you're asking about this because I haven't experienced the PB thing yet either... I did have an episode where something was stuck and someone who had the band placed a while back told me to get Papaya tabs and keep on hand. I chewed three of those and it went through within 30 minutes no problem. I haven't had an episode since but I do keep those tabs on hand.

Reading these last few posts I wanted to mention that there is a slight chance that you do have some saline still left in your band. Dr. K does test it and fill it full before he removes it all and there have been a few people that were banded around the same time as me that had some of that fluid still inside the band when they went back for a fill. It isn't the intention but it has happened. You'll know when you do go for a fill. As soon as he puts the needle in, any fluid that is in there will come out into the needle and you'll be able to see it.

ok, so I went for my fill on the 31st and my doc kept telling me that I would feel pressure and would know that it was a good fill level. Well...I couldn't feel any pressure at all and after filling and unfilling about 5 times and drinking no less than 2 quarts of water I felt water logged and finally gave in and said I felt pressure. I think my real stomach was water logged because now I can eat like a horse...and I have been. Anyway, last week I went to a weight loss doctor thinking I would get the Vitamin B12 shots to help with my energy and such. I came out of that appt with some Topomax and 5-HTP/Carbodopa to help with my appetite along with the Vitamin D, B12, and amino acid shots. So far, I notice nothing. It's only been a week though so I'm holding out hope. I've lost two pounds since my fill so I guess I should be happy. It just seems so frickin slow. It's weird how I thought it would just melt off. It really is a slow process and I wish they would better prepare you psychologically for it. Maybe they did and I was just so focused on the promise land that I failed to realize that I was going to have to do work after all. Anyway, shamefully I must admit that I have been horrible. I haven't been drinking my protein, haven't been getting all my vegetables in, and haven't been getting in all my water. I haven't had much energy lately and I think it is the lack of protein. I need to find my groove where I can settle into a pattern of eating and drinking where I am comfortable with the options and I feel happy doing it. I'm still looking for it...the protein is the hard part for me. I also broke down this week and ordered a BodyBugg to see if it will serve as additional motivation. If it works for those guys on Biggest Loser then it can't hurt...right!? I'm realizing that everything I've been ignoring while I obsessed over raising money to have my surgery is coming back to haunt me like my finances which I finegled in order to pay the $10K plus incidental expenses in order to get it done...but it has been totally worth it so far even if it is slow. My scars are starting to even out and have turned a pretty dark pink like a bruise does right before it turns the corner so I'm pretty excited about that. I started at a size 22/24 - leaning toward the 24 and I am now comfortably in a size 20 jean and a 18/20 top. I tried to squeeze into an 18 jean last night and I have about 5 more inches to lose on stomach/hips before that is possible but when it happens that will be the smallest I can remember being in terms of an actual size. I think the corresponding weight was 222 and I was 12 years old. Sad... Anyway, I am starting over on Monday with my walking, BodyBugg in hand, protein shakes in the fridge, a plan for breakfast (that's my downfall), and something for energy. Suggestions anyone?? Until next time...

Oh yeah, how do I know who I'm looking for since I don't know anyone?