kreich

Thank you all- I am encouraged after reading your thoughts, and feel better knowing many are like me. It makes me want to start with new determination. Tommorow I am going to start an additional walking program, and I get my first fill today. I will not "bank" too much on it, just keep looking for the future.

How do you do one of those "ticker factory"'s? They are interesting to see at a glance the weight-loss journey of users on the site.

Are you waiting the 20-30 min. before and after you eat? From what I understand, the liguid literally DOES make the food go down faster. This is especially difficult for me, esp. when I eat chicken salad or things with much salt content- you just get thirsty! I read some saying 2-3 fills before filling satiated w/ 3-6 oz. food. Wow! I just wish I had known, so I would not have told everyone around me that I was getting the surgery, because now I get looks/comments, and I KNOW they are wondering "where is the weight loss she was supposed to have with this big, $$ surgery?" Know what I mean?

You and I had our surgeries 3 days apart. Mine was 6-25.... I also have only lost a total of 19 lbs! NO fills yet, today is my first day for that... How did you get more than 2cc's-? I can't beleive you have had 2 fills already! I am thinking maybe it depends for each person how much TOTAL weight they need to lose, or what size the band is. The ones that are losing much faster might have more excess? You know, like with a regular diet, I would always lose MUCH faster (total #'s) than a friend that only needed to lose 10 lbs before they were IDEAL.....

Good to know, Thanks! Also, I am seeing that several have the fills done much sooner than my surgeon will allow me. Like you mentioned, he wants the band a full 2 months to "embed" to the stomach before starting with fills. One consistent thing, although results all vary, for the ones that have had it done longer than 6 months or so ago, they are all ultimatly losing.

I am with Zen girl and Jbates- I feel no real restriction, and have to use mostly my own will power to not eat too much. When does the lion become the kitty cat?

From Roxanne- " For me the hardest thing to adjust to is not drinking with my meals. Every once in awhile i will take a drink while eating and it makes it really bad." Really bad, how? I was told not to drink during meals, but do so many times (habit), and have NEVER had any effect. I wonder why it is supposed to be bad, if it helps you fill the pouch and feel fuller anyway- isnt that the idea?

I drink a glass of wine almost evey night. I am 6 weeks post surgery.They say this is a "lifetime" change, and relaxing with a glass is part of it, as long as I consider the calories, I guess. On the nights out I want more (Friday socials, etc), I have switched to shot of Vodka with Crystal Light to control calories.

I started my pre-op liquid fast on June 4th. Lost 13 lbs. by surgery time, June 25th. However, in the 5-6 weeks post surgery, I have only lost another 5 lbs. I was surprised how MUCH liguid volume I could take post-surgery. Was still JUST as hungry as pre-surgery. Started eating puree 1.5 weeks out, and then solids only 1 week more. I can eat ANYTHING now. Just like the girl, "I don't understand my lapband" I feel the same way. I have to constantly think about food, and how much I should not eat, when I had assumed the banding would do that for me. I have not had a fill yet at all- am scheduled for this coming Monday. Will that make the difference? I had read in the forums that some say it takes 3 fills before you stop feeling hungry often? I am ready for this lion to become the cat just like the TV commercial. At what point does that happen? (and btw- I am exercising on a regular basis- water areboics 30 min per day at least 4-5x per week)