betrthnever

Hi Gail, thanks so much for your reply! Your post is very insightful. My DH & I never have sat down to talk about how WLS will change our relationship. And we are both quite personable and talking comes easy to us.

Wow, to have that kind of restriction on just 1 fill!!! I have 8.25cc in a 9 cc band and I can STILL eat anything, of course much less. I have no problems with getting stuck or being in pain. Just got .25cc this week so I'll have to see what happens. I can feel restriction but not that "sweet spot" stuff people talk about. I think I might just have to settle for the "semi-sweet spot":huh2:

Congrats! The pre-banding journey is ending and the banding journey is just begining. That's what I feel like having the band is - its a journey to discover how to to live with it, how to lose with it, waiting for fills and seeing what works and how you can work it. And its not a quick journey, at least for me it hasn't been. But its been a good one. Good luck!

My Dr says tightness in the am depends on how much water you retain over night. That the tightness is from the extra water. Same goes with PMSing - the more water you hold the more tightness you have.

Juliegeraci, is he overweight himself?

Could it have anything to do with dehydration? Or maybe an allergy to the band?

Hi Luluc, how long after you eat(ate) were you hungry? Just curious, as my Dr says one of the main reasons is to keep the food in the pouch longer. Also, Water dilutes the digestive juices making it harder for the body to utilize all of the nutrients in the food.

My Dr set my goal weight, using my age & height, I suppose (or maybe not my age ?). So 135 is the top end of my goal weight. But MY personal goal weight is 118 for at least a day. That's the ultimate in dreams for me!

Yeah!!! That's great. Wow, May seems like yesterday but for you it was probably more like forever. Glad to hear everything went ok. Better a delay then a no way!

I talked to a couple of ladies who use this (or something like it) and they found it helpful. They were always the type who would cut coupons, tho. I'm not. And there's a fee I believe so that's to be considered. Does sound interesting, tho

Curious, why aren't you telling your Dr about this? I would think that would be the best way to find out whats going on with you...

Something similar has happened to me, too!! I've lost lots of weight since my last license pic, not all of it since being banded. I think I'm about 80 pounds lighter then my pic. I've had people do double-takes like when buying booze. They say I look older in the pic which is great. So I lost weight & age. Can't complain there!

I have BCBS of AZ and they require 6 months of supervised Dr visits, weekly visits to a nutritionist && documented proof of excercise at least 3x's a week. Really!! Ok, the 6 month wait I can uderstand and even the proof of exercise but weekly visits??!! We have lives!! Luckly I'm going through Scottsdale Bariatric Center in Scottsdale, AZ, and they have a physician on staff who is also a nutritionist and so for a fee I can get both done at once. And my boss (he's great) thinks it will be ok for me to leave work in the middle of the day 1 day EVERY WEEK so I can drive 25 miles one way!! But what about going under the 40 BMI? Has anyone every experienced being denied for losing too much weight? I want to feel beter and lose weight now but don't want to lose my chances at getting the surgery. Has anyone sabatoged their weight loss (wearing heavy clothes, rocks in pockets, etc)? Don't like the dishonesty but...? Any info will be helpful THanks!:eek::confused::confused:

Hi Jorge, we all have or have had a problem with food and that is why we have or want the band. You are at the begining of your journey. And that is what it is - its a journey. A marathon not a sprint. Have you thought about talking to someone? And where did you get banded at? If Scottsdale Bariatrics they have a very good support group and counselors on staff you could talk to.

Currently I have the most restriction I've had since I was banded. I was never a picky eater and I still love food. But once I got a good amount of restriction things changed. We have a big fig tree in the back with tons of figs. When I got home from work I use to love to eat them right off the tree. NOW I know that if I eat even 1 fig I will "spoil" my dinner! I have only so much room in my stomach and I want to make sure I get my protein in first. So in a way we become pickier out of necessity.

According to my Dr its not so easy to stretch the pouch. It would take eating to the point of throwing up and then eating on top of that. And it actually hurts to eat too much, too. You'll pretty much know when you're done! And after about 20 minutes the food begins to move through the pounch anyway creating more room. Which is why I always stop before I reach the 20 minute mark :thumbup:

Just be patient baby bandsters (suppose I'm more like an adolescent bandster LOL). I could eat a lot more than 1 cup of food at first. Now, after my 4th fill I have lots more restriction and am less hungry. Hope it stays around!!

Just had my 4th fill - 8 cc in a 9cc band last Friday and so far so great. I can still eat the things I was hoping not to be able to (like breads) but I eat so much less that its just great. And I'm not as hungry. I hope it continues for as long as possible 'cause I'm feeling great!

Also, its harder to lose weight when the BMI gets lower. I think I'm FINALLY at a good spot - had my 4th fill and am at 8cc in a 9cc band. Can't go too far up from here so I hope this will last!

:thumbup:Congrats, Sandy63! Great job! To lose weight AND graduate??!! Good for you

My Dr doesn't have us counting calories we just have to eat within the 20 minutes, no drinking during eating, 1/2 hour before or 1/2 hour after, and suggesting we make better food choices. I like that fact that we don't have to count calories. I'm losing, slowly, but am losing. Perhaps counting calories would get me there faster but I like the feeling of not being on a diet and still having what I want to eat.

MY saggy skin problems are my arms. My arms are so out of proportion with the rest of my body that I would look much thinner if my arms were thinner. I work out and lift weights and it helps - I've lost 4" in my arms since April - but it will take surgery only I believe to really take care of it. My girlfriend (who is the same height as me) was 80 pounds heavier then I, lost her weight very quickly, and now weighs as much as I do but yet is smaller. ?? People are so different! I just feel like I'm packing JELLO in my arms!!!