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Long....50lbs is a great milestone. You should be proud of your accomplishments. It's about at that point where you know you are on the road to not looking back. Grey....sounds like you have a handle on what triggers snacking. It's so difficult to be thrown into situations where you feel tempted. Makes it twice as difficult to stay in control. When I am in tempting situations, I find that if I keep my hands busy, I can stay in control. Cathy...hope I did not come off as bragging with the weight loss. It didn't start with the band. Over 50 of it came off b/4 I was banded. It will be a year in November since I started this weight loss journey and hoping to reach goal in November of this year. I scared the hell out of myself with all of my obesity issues and started b/4 the band cuz I had to get things under control. You talk about being a slow loser. I have to admire your patience. It will come with time. Thank God we have the band to help us. Wishing everyone a good day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LONG!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cathy....been thinking the last couple of hours and I am going to just go ahead and get a fill. May as well. I will just watch of the signs of being too full. I have been gradually dropping weight (couple of pounds a week lately). Have dropped 86lbs all together. But, do not like suffering and starving some days.

BBK...What a bummer!

Hey Long, how ya doing? What you explained is exactly what I am feeling. I don't want to take the risk of screwing up a good thing. My doc said last time that it never hurts to get a fill and then a week later unfill. I have never pb'd. I was stuck once on a hard boiled egg. Nasty. That's about the only LB complication I have had. I am very careful. I am willing to deal with the hunger once in awhile instead of the alternative. I guess I will ask the doc's nurses when I check in (they are all banded) what they think of how things are going and if I they would suggest a fill. I will check in again tomorrow to let you guys know what I decided to do.

Hi all...Hope everyone is doing well. Have a questions about fills. I had a fill three weeks ago. 5cc's in a large band, plus, I was given a fill at the time of surgery. (unsure how much). Some days I am not at all hungry and some days (like today) I am hungry right after eating. WTH? I go in for an appt. with my surgeon tomorrow and can ask for a fill if I want. I really don't want to get tight and have acid reflux. I have not had any since surgery and I feel wonderful about it. I would love to have each day the same (when it comes to hunger issues) but know that is impossible. Anyone out there that has hit their sweet spot or thinks they have. I realize we are all different with different size bands, etc. Just asking if I should tough it out for another month or get another fill while it is available tomorrow.

BBK..thinking of you today and wishing you a speedy recovery from yet another surgery.

I agree. But, don't think it has stopped. She's one that hits the bar about 4pm and leaves about 10pm chewing on a swizzle stick. Somehow she has alluded getting caught. BTW....she is not listed as a "friend" in my book. Totally self-involved and not my kind of girl. Got to know her...don't care for her and her ways.

You would think that I would be over this by now. It's been two years...not over it...so will rant about it. Maybe this will help. My dumbass, so called friend backed into my pickup, left the scene and lied about it to me later. (Her sister was with her and slipped and told me it happened). They were leaving a bar and grill that me and my DH were having dinner at. She backed her big ass truck up and the hitch took care of the entire drivers side of my vehicle. When I confronted her with what I knew had happened and that I have a $1,000 deductible, she begged me to not make her pay cuz her DH would kill her cuz she was in the bag. My DH decided it was not worth a fight and made me drop it. (Her DH is a friend of my DH). Piss. Was not ready to drop it. So, guess she can kiss my ass till hell freezes over!

Forgot to mention the eyebrows, Froggi. I don't need to have it done but the tech that did my eyes was telling me how she does them. She actually applies three or four different strokes in different colors so they look three dimensional. She showed me a photo of some that she had done and they look so damned real. One of the ladies she did them on was a person that had been bald since she was 11. (no eyelashes either). The tech told me she cried and cried because she was so happy.

Fran...It's so cool how they do the lashes. They just glue them right to your existing lashes. They fall off is one of your own lashes fall off and that's the reason for the touch up. Froggi...this sounds like something that would work for you. They can fill in spotty lash lines. There are lashes that are in thicker bunches for cases like that. I will try to remember to come back to this thread after I have them done to let you guys know how they look.:Banane37:

I decided at the beginning of this journey that when (not if) I reach goal, I would buy a tanning bed to put in my workout room. I am not a tanning junky but I do love having somewhat of a tan and I find it very relaxing. I cannot lay out in the sun (I get a rash). I have bought a few clothes. I do not use them as a current reward but as a future reward. It's just another kick in the butt to keep going and fit into them. The clothes I bought are for winter and a size smaller than I wear now. All four tops that I bought were more expensive than I would usually spend but it keeps me going thinking about fitting into them. Also, my husband said he would pay for a tummy tuck if I needed one at when I get to goal. Sure hope I don't but will wait a year and then decide. I love that guy!

I had the eyeliner done last Friday and have eyelash extensions done two weeks from today. Have always wanted it done and just made a quick decision to do it. I was in the chair having my hair cut when I looked up at the person doing my hair. Told her I loved her nice, thick lashes and she told me they were extensions. I go in for an hour session to have them applied and every two to three weeks for an update. $25 for two week reapplication, $35 every three and $45 every four weeks. I will pick out lashes that are the same length as I naturally have. I find that the older I get, the fewer lashes I have. When I was a teenager I had nice long thick lashes. This girl that does my hair does not even wear mascara anymore. She also had the eyeliner done and it looks great. I had my eyeliner done in a smoky gray color. I think that besides my band I will be able to say this is one of the best things I could do for myself. We have extremely hot and humid summers and I cannot stand the "running" makeup. It's fun to not have to apply makeup. As far as the pain....I am allergic to novacaine (and any other in the family), so I had to tough it out. Worth it though. The pain was not extreme but uncomfortable and that was without any medication applied. So if someone is thinking of doing it and can have your eyes medicated, it should be a breeze.

Have not tried beef jerky since being banded. Has anyone tried the soft types of jerky (i.e. the nugget kind)?

I spread Laughing Cow cheese on Melba Toast wafers. Easy to chew and easy to get down. The wafers come in a few different flavors and are 60 cal. for 5. Don't think I am willing to try pretzels. Was a favorite but don't miss them.

Long2bthin...I am preparing myself that I will gain when I have my surgery. I have never been in the hospital that I did not gain. Ticks me off that have to go through it and come out weighing more. Your 8lb weight gain is not unusual and b/4 you know it, it will be gone and you can continue on your weight loss journey.

I know every dr. is different and fills vary in how many cc's the doc puts in. I had my first fill today. I have a large band (10cc) and my dr. put in a 5cc fill. I am not sure if I feel restriction yet or not. When I ate dinner a couple of hours after my fill, I did feel like I could once again tell when it was my last bite. I was really surprised by the amount of the fill. Thought for sure he would try about 2cc's to begin with. Anyone else have that amount with the first fill?

Doc put in 5cc but also put some in at time of surgery. It just slipped my mind to ask how much when I had my last appt. My doc does not like to answer questions about how much goes in during fills. I think he doesn't want us to concentrate on the amount we get. I am sure he thinks our feeling of restriction is more important. I got my fill last week. I felt restriction the next day and then nothing. On the fifth day after my fill, I felt more restriction and think that I am where I should be. No hunger 90% of the time. Loving it. Weight loss is where it should be with about 2lbs lose per week. Life is good. My family is very supportive and knew that I had to do this surgery in order to live a healthy life. Friends is another story. I would say that 50% of my friends are very supportive and the other 50% take great pleasure in either being jealous and not understanding the process at all. I'm too busy with my new life to try to sit down (yet again) and explain the process. I usually just give them the name of a lap band web site so they can read up on it. I have a feeling most of them don't take the time.

Hey Gina....we'll pick you up on the way! Never been to Destin but a friend of mine who winters there steered us that way. We are now thinking of renting a house boat for the two months. So many decisions, so little time.

Lessme....my surgeon hires all banded or soon to be banded staff. I think it is great. They always know what you are talking about and have great info to questions. I am thinking that the fill I had yesterday is what I needed. I am back to feeling the way I did after and for a couple of weeks after surgery. I can tell when it's my last bite when I eat a meal. Just what the band is supposed to do. I love my band. Isn't it funny that when you don't have hunger pangs, you don't think about food. The problem I was having was that b/4 my fill, I was so hungry that I would eat fast. Not a problem now. Good luck to you and I hope we all hit our "sweet spot" soon. Won't that be nice?:wink_smile:

Just had my first fill yesterday. No instructions from doc. He has me eating solids b/4 and after fill. I can tell I had the fill and I am thrilled. Hoping this does it for me for awhile.

I usually don't look forward to surgery but this time I am anxious for it. My doc did not want to put the band in when he opened me up and saw my mega hernia. But, he knew how hard I had worked b/4 surgery to get weight off and decided to do it. I have a great chance of slippage because of where the band sits so close to the repaired hernia. Anyway, he can go in and look to see how the band has situated itself and how the repaired hernia looks. I am anxious to know. I have had no troubles and would like to keep it that way. Yep, going to Florida. Not our favorite state but our son lives down there. Heading to Destin, FL. On the beach. By then I should be in a bathing suit. Our son lives a ways away from there but he is a commercial pilot and can fly to see us whenever. Our first winter down south. I am 52 and husband is 54. We farm and have a business one the side. I do the books and keep the jobs organized. Winters in MN are LOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG and BOOOOOOOOOOORING. We want out of here for a few months. Was in FL a couple of weeks ago and really wasn't any different than out MN summers. It was about 90 and humid. That's about what we have. Try to relax and not think about your surgery. (Easier said than done). It will be good to get it behind you. Take care and good luck:thumbup:

I was on solids a week after surgery. My dr. has patients eat solids also the day of fills. No change in diet. I wish I knew how much he filled at the time of surgery. I just forgot to ask him today so I really don't know what I have at this time in my band.

Not sure how much doc put in during surgery but know he did do some.

Hey Cathy...sorry to hear of your troubles. I have been passing kidney stones since 1994. I get them on an average of every 2-3 months. They are Calcium based. I just tough it out at home while they are passing. The only time I need to go in is when they won't pass. I have a double ureter on my right side and they have to up with the basket to get them. I hope you will not have trouble with them in the future...no fun! Had my first fill today. My doc put 5cc's in. He had put a couple cc's at the time of banding. It might all be in my head but I think the fill helped. Try to stay away from the scale for awhile. You WILL lose. The body is funny that way. I can go for two weeks without losing and all of a sudden I see that I've lost 4lbs or so. I can always tell when my clothes start fitting looser. It's frustrating but just try to be patient. Yep, been spending six days of the week at the lake. I work out of the home (if you can call it work) and am so lucky to shift things around so I can be up there. Take care and good luck with your tests. Long- I know you are probably frustrated with the fact that you need to have surgery again. Will be good to just put it behind you..you will feel so much better. I, too, have to have surgery in another month. When the doc was in doing my band he found a number of hernias and a mess of adhesions. Going to get them repaired and on with things. Will mean I have to be careful not to lift for awhile but anxious to get it done and recovered b/4 we go south for the winter. Hang in there and good luck to you!

I am down 79lbs. I lost 50lbs on my six month pre-op. I am not losing a fast as I did when I first started this. This is to be expected and I stay away from the scale for two weeks at a time. I get my first fill this afternoon. I could care less if I eat in the morning but make myself eat. By afternoon I am hungry so know I should get a fill. I am not expecting the fill to do anything...don't want to be disappointed. My doc says that it can take up to three or four fills to do the job. Will just see how it goes. Looks like everyone is doing pretty good. It's a difficult road to take but well worth it. I feel so much better and don't mind fitting into jeans again.