catieislas813

I have almost exact same issues...I was banded in Nov and only lost 28lbs which was at first and have been bouncing up and down about 2-4lbs...but I have to be honest I do not diet, I just eat less..bt sometimes I do eat normal and I can...waiting on my medical records to get here so I can go to a doc and get a fill and get with a nutritionist I am someone who needs a meal plan & I know that! i love food and I can not say no and as a result I have not lost or gained.. I am starting to exercise again...to be honest I was exercising and dieting with no results for over a year that is why I got the band and now I am getting back on track..s-l-o-w-l-y!!! best to you if all these others can have success we can too!

we started IVF shots and I am wondering should I stayed filled or is there a point IF I am blessed to get pregnant where I should unfill? I aldo gained 60lbs with my first son ad he is almost four that is why I was banded this past Nov. congrats to all of you!

I am also from Lawrenceville!! I am living in Kuwait right now and had my surgery here, abour $5200. Good luck

Kevin, I did nutrisystem for about a year and it was good, you learn which are not so good! But it got old fast...and I am sure though now that I am banded could lose more! You can also pick your own foods instead of their starter one! Good luck

I found this www.flatbellydiet.com and I ordered the book it seems pretty interesting. Also they had a link on there for this book called "confessions of a carb queen" that I ordered I need all the inspiration I can get! Another link on the diet website was Vitalicious Muffins- Better-For-You Muffins and Muffin Tops- Healthy All Natural muffins and Brownies looks yummy and they have locarb too..just wanted to share xxoo catie-n-q8

sounds yummy! Yeah I need creative snacking ideas b/c healthy is not always satisfying!

OK am I at restriction sine I have difficulty with lettuce/egg and if I eat too fast? BUT...I can still eat between meals and definatly more than 1/2c per sitting

I am now at 8ml and officially can not have eggs and lettuce. OH THE PAIN!! Feels like a heart attack or something! So embarrasing! But, I am glad I am at restriction now!!

I will do that! I had a hard time tracking carbs b/c I am confused about sugars and all that so I just try to take the advice from another member on here and avoid fruit juices/sauces and I use splenda when I make sweet tea. My typical day is I do indulge in the a.m. I bought hubby an espresso maker and so I have ONE latte before work (also helps since it is warm. I have for b'fast a two egg omelet with cheese and two strips of turkey bacon. Lunch is usually a salad with turkey and about 1Tbsp of dressing (vinagerette) and I have a slimfast shake as midmorning snack since lunch is about 2p..afternoons are my downfall I do not know how to beat the headhunger and the urge to snack so trying to stay focused on other things afterwork! I teach so I am home about 2:45 everyday that is when old habits kick in but I am trying to focus!! I have been a "secret eater" since about age 13 though, where i eat and eat when no one is around and stuff myself and it is a hard thing to break from

Thank you shortgal!! I will definatly try to keep below 1000calories and try to increase that dvd to more than every other day! I appreciate your advice!

for those who have lost but say you are finally feeling restriction..what are you diong to lose weight so consistantly? I was banded in november and I am bouncing between 222-224 for the last month or so. I lost from 240 to here b/c the first week or so on liquids and managed to do alright, I am at 8ml in a 10ml band and certain types of food now gets stuck and hurts even my port area throbs (this just started when I went up to 8 a couple days ago). But I do not want to get any out since I was not losing. So any advice on your secrets and tips is welcomed! I have asked alot of ladies on here and I would love to hear from y'all as well. I exercise every other day with Leslie Sansone dvd and on the other days my elliptical (can only handle about 15min now) Thanks ladies, congrats and God bless

Hey there, I was banded on the 24th of Nov and had my first fill last Sunday. Well, I have only lost about 10-14lbs depending on the day..lol. So I was wondering what a day of food is for you? South beach? Lo-calorie or lo carb or what and I am a blonde so can anyone out there PLEASE give me some sample menus of your day/week. I have copied some I have seen but y'all in particular and others who have been banded since this past July I am curious and need some success tips and motivation! catie

lol, I hear you on that! well sounds like you are doing pretty good so keep up what you are doing and I hope to be there soon! I think I am finally close as I said! I feel the same about the head hunger thing but hopefully that will all work itself out!

I think I will go back next week, I am just scared of what I hear of ppl getting aggressive fills and having problems later, but I also hear to go every couple of weeks til a good one so yup, will be back next week I am sure! I want to come back to the states skinnier than when we visited last summer CONGRATS by the way! so do you exercise as well? lucky girl, so restriction for you is eating like 1/2c and feeling full/satisfied for a few hours? please enlighten me,lol :biggrin:

thanks for your response, it is alright girl actually I think I got you on a private message..i had a fill under flour this week and am up to 7ml's..and I think I finally have what seems to be a wee bit of restriction..not much though. but i do not want to get too aggressive with fills so I have been exercising hardcore this week and got an elliptical and I plan to keep this up since I have dropped about 3lbs this week!! FINALLY..but ALL ME NOT THE BAND SO FAR..I am praying and I have faith that this tool will start doing it's job, no doubt! I am self pay & I trust my doctor and I know God would not have let us pay all this money for nothing! Thanks ladies!

I am in a similar situation. I was banded on 11/24/07 a 11ml band I believe and after 4 fills Iam now at 7ml. He took me from 4 to 7 the other day under flour..yuck! he says no slips or problems of any kind and did not believe me when I said I feel nothing. He had me do the cold water thing..actually took me to 7 1/2 but took out a half he thought it was too muh. I am very dissapointed! I thought I would feel full longer and real restriction..granted I am still on "liquids" but I snuck some mushies to see if it was different from liquids and not too much ..will I feel more restriction with solid protein,is that when you can really tell? I sure hope so..this was a self pay and I see everyone on atkins/south beach etc I could have done that without that band!!

I too have a 14ml band and got another fill last night bringing up to 41/2ml..(still not quite sure I am there yet) and he had me drink a glass of water there was no problem..so he is going on vacation for two weeks and wants me to hang in at where I am..I too feel like a failure when I see ppl on here that were banded in nov. 07 with me or even later and have lost more ..my scale only 12-15lbs depending on the day but his 24 so we will go with that... so trying lo carb, even though he told me not to diet just eat better but doing the best I can..but I swear since getting banded my mind has done the opposite and guess I am just expecting it to do all the work I am walking but not consistantly so that is changing since yesterday as well as my water intake..been praying about it and going to give it my best attempt to do my part now to meet my band in the middle...whoever says this is the easy way out can kiss it..we have to work hard and be proud of ourselves..we will get there, I bet all the fantastic losers on this sight felt hopeless as some point to right?! I just have to fight the head hunger and habit snacking which is the hardest for me b/c I can be saying no in my mind but still reaching and eating it... ...best to you all catie

hastalabyebye..hey girl I read anothr of your posts under general..and OMG you sound just like me from the same ??'s to our date..I freak out too b/c I can and trust me DO eat til I am full and I can eat normal..have had two fills..I was thinking was this a waiste? but I think that once we get a "good" fill we will be fine and start to really be successful like others on here...i started exercising this week.i worried about stretching but your stomach naturally stretches and shrinks anyway so maybe (just a guess here) it could shrink as you eat less the pouch I mean?

congrats, I had my surgery on the 24th of Nov. and have only lost about 10-12lbs depending on the day...but to be honest I just started exercising this week and I am trying to eat better. I have been eating worse since the band the before expecting it to work miracles and I am eating alot more than I should be able to. Have had 2 fills one 2ml and one 1ml in a 14ml band as well. best to you..how do you fight off urges since you are not at restriction like myself...what are you eating?

hey there, I had my first fill of 2ml two sundays ago and got no restriction so went back this past sunday and he put in another 2ml.Well I can still eat a good bit have not yet experienced "pb" or anything but i feel like my actual stomach in there is sore..has this ever happened? I thought it was maybe a side cramp but it is not. Is this what they mean by irritation after a fill? I can eat solids no problem and I do not feel more 'restricted' yet but I know it takes time..I know I can eat more than what I should.. Also could it be possible this early on to "stretch" your pouch or am I a major worrier about everything I read. I am a self pay so worry lots thanks

sorry he put in only one more ml

and that is 12lbs not too sorry

let me refraze I have the capability of that amount and he has thus far only put 3ml

Thank you for responding! I got a second fill last night. I am I believe he said 11 or 12ml and he did two originally and added one more. I am hoping it works, I think too I am dealing with alot of "head hunger" and snacking out of habit. What exactly does "restriction" feel like? I know I feel "full" almost stuffed on less, but when I am not paying attention or in bad habits I still eat. I have not experienced "pb" or other things ppl discuss. I have lost about 2lbs and ppl at work are noticing so I am losing inches, but I guess I thought it would be faster and that once I lost a pound I would not see it again but I go up and down 3lbs. Also was wondering about why are ppl doing south beach or atkins..isn't the band about no more diets just better choices or is this for ppl who hit a plateau? I want to do SB but not too soon, I want to let the band show me it is working before I do a diet.. I asked my Doc and he said not to diet just make better choices and the band prevents over eating but I am a lil discouraged/confused I want positive results and just need to know what y'all did as newbies and now before dieting at a plateau? Sorry for rambliong just anxious and confused thx catie