anavrin

Banded May 20,'08. Starting wt 200, current, up and down from 160 to 165. I am 4'11" and will be 50 in Sept. I had a fill in March , and am quite tight. Most things hurt me, especially that first bite of the day. Seems as if the things I should be eating hurt me the most, while the things I shouldn't be eating, doesn't. I have been trying for the past 2 wks to eat mostly protein and little to no carbs. I think I've hit the set point, I want to see 159 just once on that stupid scale! I've been at this weight since last November. Why can't I lose anymore?

Oh yea, and I am also a slave to that scale. I get on it everyday, and you are right, my mood is set by it. And, the ex wife is coming in Sept and wants to meet me.

I was banded in May '08. I have lost 40 lbs, that's it. I have been at the same wt basically since March, when I had my last fill. I am plenty tight. I bounce around from 160 to 165, up and down. 3 wks ago I found my motivation, my husband's ex wife. He hadn't heard from her in 15 yrs. She lives in Ca, we live in Fla. She emailed pics of their son, and some of herself. That did it for me, I have been on a min or no carb diet. But, no matter what I do, I can't get below 160, I am walking, drinking Atkins, eating protein. I think I've hit that "set" point. I would give anything to see 159, I want to weigh 120. I'm 4'11", and 50 yrs old.

I also have the Realize, and it is one size, 9 cc's, I hadn't heard though that it could hold up to 12 cc's, that'd be cool. Also, Zengirl, I think you might have meant it is 1 cm taller, 10 cm would be about 5", and yes, the doc told me it has a smaller buckle, and a port that can't flip, I thought it was attached to the band differently, but they could have meant the claw, which is another good thing.

I was banded May 20, had my first fill on June 23, no restriction, so had a 2nd fill on June 30, I have lost about a lb a day since last Monday, I also can eat very little, probably not even a half cup total a day. I feel pain under my sternum from the first bite, a pressure sort of, it does go away but takes a little while. I'm not hungry, but guess I want to eat out of habit. Also, I worry about losing too fast, and not enough to sustain me. I was already anemic going in, and now, with so little food, I'll get worse, and then, there's that time of the month, that really pulls me down, and caused the anemia to begin with. I have a Realize band that holds 9cc's, I think I'm at 6 or 6.5 fill. I do have an appt on July 14, but I don't think I'll be asking for another fill for awhile.

I'm 48, 4'11", started at 200 lbs with a BMI of 40. I have high b/p, sleep apnea, joint pain, and have been battling , up and down, this weight since I was 25 yrs old, I must have lost 500 lbs in the last 23 yrs. My mom was 4'9", she weighed 240lbs, and died in her sleep in 2001. The cause was listed as heart disease, but I know in my heart if my Mom could have lost that wt, if the band had been available, she would be here today.

I am also a smoker and my Dr is aware, and was prior to surgery. I was just told to cut back as much as possible a few days before. Just yesterday when I went for my 2nd fill (in a wk) he said that even though I smoke , he wants me to get a grip on my carb addiction 1st, he said you can't fight both of these demons at once.

Had to chime in and say, the no drinking while eating is a hard rule to follow, especially if the food is temp hot, or spicy. I do take itty bitty sips with my food. LOL, everytime I do this, I think of raccoons that wet their food to eat it, cause they have no saliva glands, I know I do, but they are underproducing I think.

I had my 1st fill a wk ago today, I got 5.5cc's in the band (Realize), well I had no restriction at all, so although I had another appt for July 14, I called the MD's office on Friday, and went in this AM, and he put more in, and told me to stay on clear liqs until tomorrow evening. I told him what I had read about a delayed restriction, and he said not true. I didn't say anything to him, but thought, how would you know? you don't have a band. Hoping to get restriction, some at least, and he told me to keep my 7/14 appt.

I had my first fill on June 23 and I have no restriction at all, I can tolerate any and everything. He did go straight down, with a 2 in long huber needle, thru the scar tissue, I felt pressure, but no pain, with nerves having been cut, there is no sensation in the scar tissue. He also had me raise my head to my chest, then he helped me sit up, and hold the needle in place while he got me some water, the cooler is right there in the room. He pushed in saline, had me gulp, too tight, I immediately felt a burning pressure in my throat, so he backed some out, and I tried again, this time, nothing, so he added a little back in, this time, a little buring pressure in my throat, but it resolved quickly, so that's when he stopped. He said he had about 5.5 cc's in. My band holds 9cc's. I had an return appt for July 14th, but I called on Friday, and told them what is going on, and they had a cancellation for this Monday, the 30th, so I'm going early. Now, I have heard of some that say there can be a delay, as long as up to 4 wks, but I don't get how that can be.

at this point, I'm not getting full fast, or at least i don't think I am. I feel like I'm able to eat too much, more than a cup, and I haven't noticed any tightness in the AM, anyways, I'm going in tomorrow morning, and Dr B may not want to put more saline in. I just don't feel it, and I want to know it's there and working.

No, I didn't have any say so about the amount. He put some in, helped me sit up, and had me drink, then gulp water and told me to tell him when I felt pressure in my chest or throat. The first time, I did, and it wouldn't go away, so he pulled some out, then I did the water again, that time, nothing, so he pushed some in, the 3rd time, I felt the pressure for a few secs, and he said that was good. I asked how much saline, and he said 5.5. So maybe the "too" much amount was 6 cc. I changed my appt from 7/14, to 6/30, they had a cancellation. I am watching what I eat in the meanwhile.

I want to do a tandem skydive, hopefully in Nov. Maybe I'll be light enough by then.

Thanks for the laughs....and the info!

I was banded on May 20, I also have the Realize band, and I had my 1st fill on June 23, 4 days ago, he put 5.5 cc's in mine, and I have NO restriction at all! I can eat as much as I ever did, although I do use self control, but as far as PB'ing, sliming, and other signs of feeling full, nothing. I had an appt to go back on July 14th, but I called this morning, and told them, and so now I am going back on the 30th of June and have more saline put in. I hope it works, because this thing only has a 9 cc capacity, and I am already over half filled, maybe all I need is a half, or 1 cc to make me notice a difference. Sure hope so.

Had my 1st fill on June 23, Dr B put 5.5 cc's in this 9 cc band, and I have absolutely NO restriction. I am so depressed. I still have no idea what PB'ing feels like or any of the other signs of fullness, i can eat pretty much as much or whatever I want, although I don't. I am just practicing self control. I have another appt on the 14th, but think I should call before then to try and move it up.

On the other end of that spectrum. I was banded May 20, and had my 1st fill on June 23, just a few days ago, I was doing better with wt loss prior to the fill. I can eat as much as I could, have had no sign of restriction. I have a realize band with a 9 cc capacity, and he put 5.5 cc's in. I have GAINED 2 lbs since Monday, although I am not eating more. I think at this point I would welcome some kind of sign, even sliming. I have another appt on July 14, should I wait til then or call now. I am so very depressed.

Hi, i was banded on May 20th, and have the Realize band, and yes, it truly does have a 9cc capacity. I went for my 1st fill on June 23, and he put 5.5 cc's in, and here I am, 3 days out and have absolutely NO restriction. I felt pressure in my throat, while sitting on the table, with the needle still in me, as I gulped water. But since then, nothing. I read on Wendell's blog that there can be up to a 4 wk delay before you feel restriction. I am scheduled to go back on July 14 for another visit/possible fill. If I don't get some restriction before I go back, then I will get a fill. I have lost about 5 lbs since May 20, but then, I am up and down every day. I don't eat the "no no's" either, drink atkins shakes, meat, eggs, etc, but nothing much has happened. I started out at 200, and was 186 the day of surgery, and 181 the day of the fill, today, I was 183. I am very frustrated. I'm only 4'11".

I was banded on May 20, and got my first fill on June 23. I have a realize band, and he put 5.5 cc in the 10 cc band. I thought he'd put maybe 1.5 or 2. I don't feel like I have any restriction, which concerns me since I was over half filled the first time

I was banded on May 20th and had my 1st fill today. I had watched a video of the proc on this site, and was very scared. My MD was delayed, and I had too much time to nose around in the room, from which I found the huber needle he was going to use to access the port, it is 2 inches long, and the gauge is 19. I'm a nurse, but never having it done, I was still scared. When he finally came in, we got right to it. I layed down, and he had me lift my head off the table to tighten my abdomen, he accessed the port thru the scar tissue, so it was virtually painless, once he got it in, and attached the syringe with saline in it, he injected some, helped me to sit up, handed me a cup of water, told me to take 2 small sips, and then a couple of gulps. Then he asked me to tell him when I felt pressure in my throat or chest, it came pretty quick in my throat, and stayed too long, so he backed some out, and had me gulp again, this time, no pressure, so he added a little, repeated the process, and this time, I felt the pressure for a few secs, and it went away. He said we were good, and put a bandaid over the site. My only concern is, I have a Realize band that has a 9cc capacity, and he put 5 1/2 cc'c in it today. I made an appt for 3 weeks from now. My question, what happens when it is at capacity? Will I be at goal? I'm 4'11" and want to get to 115, I was 181 today, and started out at 200.

Hi, I was banded on May 20, and for several days after, I also had trouble sleeping. I'd sleep for an hr or 2, then I'd get up, and sit in the recliner for an hr or 2, then back to bed, I was just up and down all nite. Also, i'm used to sleeping on my left side, but after being banded, I couldn't because gravity seemed to pull everything down, but when I layed on my right side, it didn't hurt. I also figured out a pain free way of getting up. But you will eventually get back on track with sleeping, it does get better.

I had my 1st meeting on Jan 2, then 2 times a month visits before my band date on May 20th. I started out at 200, and weighed 186.5 on the day of surgery, I have been as low as 182, and as high as 185, depends on the time of day, etc... I am going for my 1st fill on June 23, and I'm hoping I will start seeing a more steady wt loss. I have lost inches, but only 15 to 18 lbs total since Jan. So, you are doing very well. I am 4'11", and want to get to 115, so I only have a total of about 70 or so lbs. Does anyone think that is why I'm losing more slowly than oher people that have more to lose? I am pretty carb concious, but I don't think I am staying below 30 carbs everyday, some days a little more, some days a little less, if any. But, I think even air has carbs in it!

hi, can i ask which doc did your surgery? Dr Baptista did mine on May 20th.

wht do you mean? be back on liquids? i haven't heard that, although i was told by the arnp that i would be really tight in the mornings, and maybe into the afternoon, which i won't mind, I don't eat breakfast anyway, and usually have an atkins shake for lunch, which is about all i ever have time for.