ivyrose325

I have the small 4 cc band and can feel the restriction with relatively small adjustments ( a double edged sword), and I have to say that for me the feeling of fullness is not psychosomatic. Your results are very impressive and it's great that you are so proactive in your weight loss. With additional adjustments it will get easier for you.

Sounds great I'm in !

I wanted to try Yoga for a very long time before I actually did. Back in college my roommate's mom was a yoga instructor but I never felt comfortable trying. About 5 months ago I started taking yoga and pilates at my gym and I love it !! Yoga is helping me to be appreciative of what my body can do . Which I find to be very important since I often get caught up in the "how do I look" aspect of weight loss. I am struggling with maintaining a shoulder stand, but I have learned how to do plow pose ! We all have to remember to listen to our bodies tonight I was having port pain and didn't even try to do any inversions. as others have mentioned a great instructor will differentiate instruction so everyone gets something out of the class.

I crave salty foods a lot, and I find that eating a pickle curbs it perfectly

When doing the dishes takes a fraction of the time that it used to

I had emerged from a childhood of being obese as a slim size 6 teenager vowing never to be fat again. A decade later I was bigger then ever. There was no one specific event that made me decide that having the Lap Band placed was the right decision for me, rather it was all of the small indignities that were becoming common place in my life. There were many, but with each new indignity I became more hindered in my ability to live the type of life that I wanted to. At first not being able to cross my legs was just something that I would have to live with. Then I had to start looking for seats without arms, which made going to a movie an anxiety producing event. Eventually shaving my legs became a feat worthy of a contortionist. I was actually grateful that my then year old son was a late walker, as I could not fathom chasing after a toddler I couldn’t understand why I was so fat. I had been a vegetarian for almost 15 years I was insulted whenever a complete stranger or doctor implied that I must be scarfing down whoppers and fries. Of course I knew the answer, I just ate too often and too much.I ate when I wasn’t hungry, I ate when I was sad, I ate when I had a argument with my husband, I ate when my feelings had been hurt because I had been ostracized due to my weight. After delivering my son in May 2006 I weighed in at 375 pounds, six months later I was down to 330 and the scale wouldn’t go down from there. Both my mother and my husband asked why I couldn’t just lose weight on my own again. I could never express what I felt, inside “Why ? When I won’t be able to keep it off ?” At that time I went to an information session at my local hospital, I decided that night that I much preferred having the Lap Band placed instead of either RNY or the Duodenal Switch, the only three surgeries preformed there. I also learned that I would have to wait until I was at a least a year post par tum to have the surgery, the hospital’s policy. I would love to say that during the interim between the information session and my surgery eight months later I changed my eating habits and started a healthy new lifestyle, but in reality I ate like I was going to the chair. I went for all of the prerequisite exams and learned what I was truly doing to my health. I was at the cut off point for not needing a Cpap machine, my heart was enlarged, I had horrible GERD, and my joints ached constantly. Yet I couldn't stop eating. Still when I received a call on July 26, 2007 saying that there was a cancellation with my surgeon and I could have my surgery in a mere 5 days I balked. “Could I really do this?” Resoundingly the answer that came from within was “YES I CAN ” I told my skeptical spouse and mother my decision and turned into a shrew waiting for my surgery day. I weighed in at 342 pounds the day of my surgery. The band has been an amazing tool in my life giving me a sense of satiety that I never had before. I have had success with my band because I keep reminding myself of my inner voice that told me I could when the closest people to me were skeptical. I walk 90 minutes a day at least 5 days a week and follow the Bandster rules. Today I weigh 212 pounds and am 47 pounds away from my goal. I will get there, although it is getting more difficult to lose. The quality of my life is so much better and instead of learning to live with indignities I am finding non scale victories NSVs)everywhere... :thumbup:

Hmmm, When I'm not sure what to do I try empathy. How would I feel if I were spending my hard earned $ on a product desperately trying to gain control of my weight only to learn that I had been misrepresented? I'm not a religious person by a long shot but "putting the shoe on the other foot " goes a long way for me ! gl to you

I was just wondering if anyone had experience with ovarian cysts ? A few weeks ago my dr did a scan and found a cyst on my left ovary. It’s not PCOS and my dr. thinks that it is a corpus luteum that just didn’t break down one cycle after ovulation. It’s been a few weeks and I have to go for a follow up scan to see if it has dissolved, and if not what course of action should be taken. Anyway I have had this horrible bloated feeling that feels like pms bloat that just won’t go away and my pants feel tighter and the numbers on the scale have stopped moving. Anyone who has had a similar experience? The real problem being just like before i start my period it is difficult to eat anything solid with the bloat

Aubrie- I am so glad to hear that weight loss has helped ur symptoms ! I am hopeful that continued weight loss and hormones can help me since dh and I aren't done having children ( not by choice anyway). My dr. seems to be dragging his feet in getting back to me. Not like I am in pain or anything !:thumbup:

Babbs, I so understand I had a 4mm cyst at the end of Oct. and my dr. decided to do the wait and see thing too. I just went for the follow up ultrasound on Tues and am waiting on the results. The pain is on and off when it's on it feels like early labor ( where you can still walk and talk) but I have a ton of bloat with it too which sucks with the band ( eating is hit or miss). So I am right there with you !

I do have problem foods that aren't worth eating any more , but that's fine. most of those were empty calories anyway(ex. bagels). Some foods that I enjoyed before I really love more now and think they taste even better. Two recent examples for me were muenster cheese and scallops I think it is because I can only eat a set amount each and everyday so everything that I do eat needs to count and i believe that it helps me to savor the taste even more

it varies so much from person to person. Dr's have their own preferences, some are more conservative then others,the size of your band makes a difference for example more will go into a larger cc band then a smaller cc band. Also if your band had a tiny starter fill before surgery (some newer bands require this) so it is really hard to say. i have always gotten the best restriction when filled under fluoroscopy, as the dr can see how liquids are passing through the band. My first fill was 1.25 ccs in a 4 cc band. good luck to you

I haven't heard too many for a while until today that is ;0) I was at my friend's house and swiftly bent down to tie my shoe and bolted right back up my friend said "wow you're really flexible" I responded with "huh?" and she replied "most of the other heavy people that I know can't move like that " I was floored !! I pointed out that I'm a size 12 on top and a 14/16 on bottom ( yes I am bottom heavy) down from a dress size 32/34 and that I no longer consider myself to necessarily be fat and even if someone is fat that doesn't make them immobile or lazy sheesh

thanks for the response Chole !! I went for the test today and have to wait now til my ob/gyn gets the results for me the pain is intermittent (sex is a no go lately) but the constant bloating is awful i'm glad ur feeling better w treatment

Forgive me if I missed the information, but how much is it just for the conference tickets w/o staying at the hotel ? Thanks

While I am not embarrassed that I had the surgery I do feel bad that I let myself get to the point where it was necessary. I have only told a handful of close family and friends who I knew would be loving and supportive. The one exception was when I bumped into an acquaintance last Spring who had not seen me in a while. Her first reaction was "Oh my God Lisa you got skinny"I was flattered but she looked crest fallen I could read her thoughts because I had been there it was a look of "why can you take off so much weight and I can't no matter what I try" so I told her. I'm not trying to be deceptive to people I just like to keep some things private.

Pre banding I lived on Diet Coke and Diet Dr. Pepper. at least 1 two liter bottle a day. Since being banded 18 months ago I haven't touched soda. I have been drinking Water, coffee, crystal light and Vitamin water . I didn't miss it at all until last week. Now for the last week I have been craving of all things an orange soda. I never liked orange soda even at my heaviest but the thought of it now is enough to make me salivate. What is up with this soda craving I thought I was over it ?

thanks for the ideas ladies !! I really think i miss the bubbles the most so I will try that candy u mentioned I spoke to my dr's nurse and she said that I could try soda if i let the carbonation fizz away which I might try...

I turn 26 today and when I got up to weigh myself I couldn't believe it I am officially down 100 lbs from my surgery/ starting weight !!! and 133 lbs down from my all time highest of 375 from right after I had my son (cause everyone gains 100lbs during pregnancy) I'm so thrilled that I was banded, I'm sure that I will be healthy enough to have and enjoy many more birthdays !

But for the first time since being banded I have gained weight. I think I have put on about 9 lbs, but it is right before TOM so it might be less. Basically I was too tight and was eating slider foods. Add to that I have had some very serious bad news from my mom ( really not comfortable elaborating further) and I slipped into some old emotional eating habits. I have also been tackling some anxiety issues. So I am calling myself out because I'm not going down this road again. I updated my ticker to reflect the gain :w00t: I've always posted my successes so I think it is only honest to post a set back too.

Hi I'm looking for a new doctor to do my adjustments. I really can't take my dr's office anymore ( the doctor schedules a surgery and can't make the appt. but no one calls to cancel with me this has happened 3 X, plus a few other things that make me just want to leave ) right now Dh and I live in Staten Island, but I will probably be moving out to North Brunswick within the next year. I was hoping for some good recommendations in central or northern NJ. Thanks

Depending on how good the service was I leave between 15% and 20 %

LMAO this made me think of my days at Rutgers

When I had my first fill on 9/14 it started out feeling very tight and then as I lost more weight with it it became more comfortable and I felt properly restricted . Then I started to feel as though I could eat too much so I made an appointment for a fill. I realize that this is all perfectly normal, and part of how the band works, but then the weirdest thing happened the last two or three days I feel very uncomfortably restricted again and had an icky pb-ing episode. Why would I go from feeling like I need a fill to just wanting mushies ?

Jetsy - You can do it !! There are many people on this site who have lost over 100 lbs it can be done. I haven"t lost all my weight yet but i will !! Here is more about my story http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f286/13-months-130-pounds-gone-forever-75158/ good luck to you