JaimeSTL

Congrats!! I did the same thing with some 24s yesterday. They went on, way tight, but they buttoned and zipped. LOL

Would you really want to eat less than that? I want to be able to eat 3 small meals a day. There is no reason to be more restricted than that. How can you get everything you need if you can't eat?

Happy birthday! Jasper is a cutie! Have fun with him.

I told my husband that our cat needs a lap band. This isn't him but it looks JUST like him, except our Tigger is a little fatter.

If you are throwing up, I would say you don't need a fill. However, you also said you are hungry, so I would look at what you are eating. I personally will not let myself go under 800 calories a day because when I do I feel crappy and hungry. Are you getting enough Protein? Do you eat just three meals a day or do you eat meals plus Snacks? Are you eating any slider foods instead of solid Proteins or drinking your calories? I wouldn't restrict calories so much that you are regularly hungry, that's just not a pleasant way to live. Once I started getting in all of my protein through solid food and not supplements, I felt much more satisfied. Also, I tend to lose weight in spurts. I'll lose 5-10 lbs quickly, then stay put for a while, then lose, etc. I also don't lose as well if I don't drink all of my Water each day.

I tried really hard to not count calories. However, when I don't, I get paranoid that I'm eating too much so it helps me to know exactly how much I'm eating everyday. I weigh and measure everything, unless I'm not home, then I try to guess. Last week I had lunch with my boss and there was no nutritional information on the restaurant's site so I couldn't input that. I was all freaked about it.

I added this to my myspace today.

I think I need to change things up too. I went through a period, when I first started eating regular food again, that I ate 800-900 calories a day and dropped rapidly, then plateaued. So then I went up to 1000-1200 calories and started losing rapidly again. Now I'm slowing down again, like from 5 lbs a week to just 1 or 2 the last week. I also tend to eat the same things over and over because a) I'm picky and I'm not at all creative in the kitchen. I would love to give myself permission to have some bad days, but I feel so damn guilty when I do. I am like Crystal--I eat healthy most of the time and allow myself treats (like this past Saturday night, we went to McDonalds and had ice cream cones--yuuuuuum!) but I account for those in my daily intake and still don't let myself go over 1200 calories at absolute most. I'm wondering if dropping back to 800-900 a day would do the trick. Maybe I'll let myself be bad this weekend and see how things go.

My doctor also said no carbonation or straws because they can let too much air into the pouch which can cause discomfort and possibly cause the pouch to stretch. I avoid both completely. I was a total carbonation/ caffeine addict so I'm not planning to go back to that even when I can because I know I'll be hooked again. I'm not supposed to drink for 30 minutes before or two hours after a meal. I usually can make it an hour or so after but then I'm so thirsty I can't stand it. It was hard to get used to not drinking with a meal, but now I'm used to it and can deal with it. When we go out, the servers look at me like I'm a freak because I don't order a drink.

I'm pissed off at the world because I'm tired of holier than thou posters who go around to forums they aren't even a part of and bash people? Ok then. Maybe you should look in the mirror.

I love how people who are a week out of surgery are so perfect. Wait until you are in bandster hell before you judge. Keep in mind that all doctor are different. I'm not going to condone someone eating things they shouldn't be, but some people go home from the hospital eating solids while others are on liquids for weeks.

Congrats to you too, Tara!

Congratulations!! It does feel good. I finally broke my plateau and got under last week.

I've been searching for some new shirts because many of my old ones are just way too big. I started in a 4X or even 5X and I'm now pretty comfortable in a 3X. I think I'm shaped weird or something right now because everything just feels weird. I ended up buying two tshirts at Kohls that were pretty comfortable so I am between those, another older shirt that now fits again and my 4X and 5X tshirts that look like a tent on me. I think the problem is that I haven't lost nearly enough boob (started in a 48I, now in a 44G which is still tight in the cup). My pants are annoying me too. I started in a 30 in jeans or 4X in stretchy things. I can wear a 24 or 2X in elastic waist but 26 in jeans or other pants that button. However, the 26s are too big but 24s are still too small. So I am almost constantly hiking up my pants. I can pull them down without unbuttoning which I guess is good since I pee about 500 times a day now. :thumbdown:

I had a fill on Monday morning, felt tender all day then noticed on Tuesday that I had a bruise. It is going away pretty quickly. I didn't have one from my first fill. I also had soreness when I laid on my left side until last night, then it was ok.

My favorites are Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Weiner, and J.K. Rowling. I love the Harry Potter books, have read each at least half a dozen times, and I'm one of those dorks who waited in line at midnight for the last 3 books. I love to read and I plan to read tons this summer. I don't usually have time to read what I want between August and May because I have so much reading to do for school.

Wow, you look great, Crystal! Way to go!!

I have a 14cc band, 5.7 cc fill, and I felt restriction at the first fill (3.2 cc), lost it, now have it again with my 2nd fill (2.5 cc). My doctor fills under fluoro and he filled me until he saw restriction on the xray. My band was also a very tight fit at surgery, so he said it wouldn't take as much for me to be restricted as others.

There is a St Louis thread in the Missouri forum. I think there are a few on there who had surgery with your doctor. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f46/st-louis-people-33306/

I had my second fill today. I have to say, everytime I see Dr. Minkin, I'm reminded of why I like him so much. He's so caring and encouraging. He gave me another 2.5cc, so I now have a total of 5.7cc in my band. If any of Dr. Minkin's patients are interested, I started a yahoo support group just for Des Peres/Minkin patients. It is stllouislapbandsupport : St. Louis Lap Band Support. I went to the support group meeting last month and plan to attend regularly, but I thought this might be a good way for people to give and get support that is specific to Dr. Minkin's protocol (since all doctors are different).

Wow, you look terrific!!

Thanks Annie! I track my intake everyday and account for everything I eat, even if it is just a bite. I use Calorie Counter - Free Online Diet Journal to track.

Chris, I haven't been doing anything special really. I keep my calories under 1200 everyday, get in 60-70 grams of protein and 64 ozs of water per day. I haven't been able to settle into a good exercise routine, between being super busy with school and work, plus the weather. I finished my finals last week so now I just have work so I plan to start exercising more now.

Yay! That's awesome! Congratulations!! I can't wait to be there too.

I'm glad to hear you and your wife are doing well, Ray. I'm 10 weeks out from surgery. I saw Dr. Minkin for a check on Wednesday and I was down 48 lbs on his scale. I'm fluctuating about 2 lbs up and down right now. I was down 50 then up then down. Today, I'm down again, about 50.4 lbs down total. I'm getting my second fill on Monday. He was very aggressive on my first fill (3.2 cc) but I'm definitely losing restriction. I'm eating more per meal and hungry between meals. He didn't want to do the fill at first because I'd lost so much, but the last 2 weeks or so it has been pure willpower, so he agreed. I hope that lasts for a while because I don't go back until August.