Girlmoose

WOW! I'm so impressed with everyone's hard work and results!!! :w00t: It was great reading all your stories because I'm feeling down about my results and efforts. :frown: It's good to know that us 40 somethings can have great success. It just takes determination to get through each day and win this fat war! :thumbup: I've been sabotaging my success because I haven't given up drinking Water with meals... WHICH IS SO STINKING SUPID!!! :eek: I have to now work harder to break this habit so the weight loss gets back into full gear. Why are eating habits so darn hard to break??? Why do these things still have such a hold on me??? :ohmy: I was banded Dec. 17, 2007 and have had 1 fill of 2 c.c. and then I think the nurse missed my port for the 2nd fill of an additional 1 c.c. She had trouble finding it and fished around for it until she thought she got it... :eek: I go back to the Dr. on Tues. and I'm so nervous... I know the scales are only going to show a couple of pounds lost since early March and I feeling anxious about going and admitting failure and not holding myself accountable for drinking water with meals... The crazy thing is, is that I think I have pretty good restriction if I didn't go into autodrink and block out what I'm doing when I'm eating... :frown: I trying to figure out why I am doing this to myself... I kind of feel like I'm afraid of how little I can eat and feeling unenergetic and weak from it... Isn't that dumb??? :redface: Cutting down eating and losing weight is why I'm doing this so why aren't I doing the right things and following the rules.... :frown: Reading all your positive 40 something posts gives me drive and ambition to do better!!! Now, I just have to keep the courage to face the Dr. and push forward... :tongue: Good luck to everyone and continued success!!!

HELP!!! I was banded Dec. 17th 2007 and my first fill was Jan. 29th 2008. Within the first couple of weeks of surgery when I was loosing weight quickly, I felt cold. Since being banded, my weight loss has gone into high gear and I'm not able to eat that much at all! It's just a few bites at a time and eating real slow... Since I haven't been eating that much this last week and lost another 5 pounds since the 29th of Jan., I can't shake the feeling of being BONE COLD!!! :eek: I'm always the warmest one in the house! Now, I soak in a tub of hot water at night like I'm trying to cook myself! :tt2: I feel like I'm coming down with something... but it's been days since I have felt this way... and I'm not getting sick. :thumbup: no cold... no horrible flu... I just feel like I'm going to wake up sick "tomorrow"... :eek: Thank goodness, I wake up and things are fine until about 3 in the afternoon and then the COLD feelings begin... :wub: Does anyone else feel this way or know what is going on with me??? HELP! I'm feeling miserable because of this... :tt1:

Thanks for everyone's response about being COLD! When my weight loss slowed down the cold feelings have gone. I'm feeling normal again... Could be that my body has adjusted to the new weight loss &/or warmer weather is here too! :regular_smile: I've had two fills and I think the nurse may have missed the 2nd fill. :eek: So I either have 2 c.c. or 3 c.c. I go back in two weeks so hopefully I'll find out for sure if she actually got the port. I haven't noticed any difference in restriction and the weight loss has been S-L-O-W. :frown: but I'm working out at the gym 4 times a week and keep plugging along. Good luck to all and hope everyone stays warm!! :biggrin:

I understand your "emotional" side of eating. :plane: This doesn't cure that part in your head, except that you can't eat as much so it does keep it in check better. My nutritionist said there is like a 3 month mourning period and your head will catch up with the new eating concept... I am still working on the "I still want to eat what I use to" versus "I want to change my ways and eat small amounts and healthier foods". I guess those old habits don't go away as quickly as we would like to ignore them and not give them a voice in our heads anymore... You just have to remember (and I remind myself too) when else in my life could I have lost 25 pounds in 3 months and felt good about it and kept it off.... :tongue: NEVER... Hang in there! Your doing great!!!

That dream was so FUNNY!!! A turkey baster! I love it! :bolt: I have a question for you. Was it painful or difficult for them to pull out the 3 c.c from your band to check it? I don't think the nurse got my port when she said she added 1 c.c. last time and I think they should check it... I'm just picturing 2 to 3 c.c. trying to come out from around the band all the way down the cord to the port being a painful or kind of difficult. I'm like you though, I can pretty much eat what I want. I am eating less but I'm just stuck not losing anything right now. Everyone comments about how good I look and how much weight I'm losing but I don't see it at all lately. :eek: Good luck with the new fill and stay away from those turkey basters! :eek:

I was close to the cut off too. I had to gain a couple of pounds to reach the 35 BMI but I have a lot of other health issues that helped me qualify quickly with my insurance company. Ex. High cholesterol for over 10 years. Beginning of very high blood pressure, Back pain from a fractured vertebra from 10 years back, stroke and heart disease in my family. If you are close to the BMI limit of 35 - 40 with no medical reasons, it is tough to get insurance to pay for it. If you meet the criteria, it should be a breeze for you and you should get another opinion. I saw a Dr. that was close to where I live and they had me hang on for 60 days to become a center of excellence so my insurance would cover 1/2 of the cost, instead of just $1,500. They finally told me it wasn't going through as quickly as they thought. They had the approval for center of excellence but the red tape was slowing the process down so they referred me on to another Dr. about 15 miles away, who was able to take all my records and I met with him once and we scheduled surgery together within a few weeks, since I was already pre-approved and had all my before surgery stuff done! Don't give up. Just work through this another way to make sure your getting the right opinion from your Dr. or he isn't as sensitive as he should be to you. Hope the experiences and advice helps you. Don't give up yet. Good Luck!

I was banded 12/17/07 and had my first fill of 2 c.c. on 1/29/08. I went back to the Dr. March 5 and saw his PA for an additional 1 c.c. She had trouble finding my port and said she found it after poking around inside looking for it. :thumbup: I haven't felt any different and feel like she missed the port. I don't know if the Doctor will be able to tell or not if I have 2 c.c. or 3 c.c. inside.... I go back to the Dr. April 15th and this time I'm only have the Doc see me! I'm looking forward to another fill because I've only lost 3 pounds since I went in last. I'm eating less and exercising but I'm just stuck at this plateau. I'm hoping it gets easier to lose weight. It's really S-L-O-W right now! But I'm not giving up!!! I'm seeing this through no matter how long it takes me! Hang in there everyone!!!

I agree about your comments about erosion & Water. It doesn't seem possible that drinking water would affect the band on the outside. Wheetsin, this is how the funnel effect was described to me by the nutritionist and the Dr. Hope this helps you because I am a visual learner and I got this picture well in my head. As the band tightens it squeezes around and makes the opening to the stomach smaller. They showed us 3 funnels, all different sizes. Before banding, you have the large funnel and food easily goes right through. As you go through the fills the funnel sizes changes and gets smaller and smaller. Now visualize a food in three different stages, like an apple. Apple juice is a liquid and lots of calories and goes through any funnel size pretty darn quickly. You can drink a lot of calories if you go for the liquid. That is why they say don't drink anything with calories. If you go eat applesauce, it doesn't go down as quickly as the apple juice but it goes down easier then the apple. You can still eat more calories eating applesauce then you can eating the apple. It just goes through the funnel easier then an apple you have eaten. If you choose the apple over the applesauce or apple juice, you are going to get full faster. It isn't going to digest as quickly and go down through the funnel. It's going to sit there a long longer until it breaks down and able to pass through the smaller funnels. Therefore, you are always going to get less calories and stay full longer if you eat the "whole" food rather then a processed version of the food. It's pretty much physics when it comes to what your eating, how well your chewing and how tight the band is and if your drinking water. I totally get this that was explained to me and I understand the effects of drinking water during a meal and washing it down past the band and being able to eat more.... So, I don't understand why I mentally don't comply with this rule. It totally makes sense to me but I haven't held myself accountable and keep doing it. :tongue2: I'm going to really work on it tomorrow and try and have one day where I follow this rule EXACTLY! :biggrin: I guess it is one day at a time for me breaking this habit and seeing how it affects how much I'm eating. Hope this helps you!!! Good Luck! :cursing:

I have been told the same thing about Water. No drinking 15 minutes before a meal and 1 hour after a meal. It is the funnel theory that was given to me that you won't stay full as long. I haven't heard of erosion... Erosion of what? I'm having trouble not drinking during a meal and what effects this is having on me. I know I can eat more when I wash it down, which isn't good! I have to work harder on following these rules... I don't know why I am so stubborn about this and sabotaging myself by drinking water while eating... I guess I'm trying to avoid that "stuck" feeling at all costs... :eek: In my support group, they gave me some ideas to help me stop this. One is to eat fruit with the meals and that the natural moisture will help you give up water. Another person chews gum right after eating... I really have to stop this sipping habit with my meals... Don't know if this helps or what you are looking for.... This is just my experience with water. Good luck!

Hi Everyone! It's been kind of quiet around here. I've been out of town and wanted to see how everyone is doing. I had my 2nd fill 3 weeks ago but I haven't noticed any change at all! The nurse had trouble finding my port and after searching around with the needle she said she found it... I don't think she did... :eek: My weight has stayed the EXACT same for 3 weeks! I have been exercising too. It's discouraging but I'm staying hopeful. I'm still working on the drinking thing... Boy, that's a hard habit for me to break. UGH! I know that is not helping me! I'm curious if anyone else is having this problem or is everybody else being smart and sticking to this rule and having more success. Let me know! I need some help with this!!! Hope everyone else is doing GREAT! Good luck to all!

Hi everyone! I just got my second fill on 3-5. They add 1 c.c. so now I'm up to 3 c.c. Hopefully, the weight loss will go back into high gear. I have had trouble not drinking with meals too... Which they told me is defeating the purpose of the band... :tea: This is the hardest habit for me to break! My goal is to STOP doing this no matter what!!! There idea to help stop this was to allow myself the size of a shot glass of Water at the table during dinner and absolutely drink no more then that. I'm upset at myself for indulging myself with drinking water around and during meals... It's so DUMB to do that! So anyway, I'm back on track to doing this right and I'm using the no water 15 minutes before a meal and 1 hour after. Good luck to all of you that are having a difficult time breaking this habit too! :w00t:

I had my first fill 1/29 and I felt like I couldn't eat much or things wouldn't go down. :thumbup: I went back to the Dr. on Feb. 11th concerned that after my first fill that I was too tight. I thought he had told me he put in 5 c.c.! I must have been nervous and not listening as he was actually doing the fill! :thumbup: When I went back on the 11th he told me he only put in 2 c.c and that as I lost weight the band would loosen up and things would go down easier, as the fat around the band shrinks in that area. He was willing to take some out but I listened to him about how the band changes and decided to stick it out and not take any out. My personal experience was the first couple days after my first fill, there was some difference in the amount I was eating. After the 3rd day out from the fill, I felt much more restricted and those feelings of things getting stuck hung around for about 3 weeks after my fill on the 29th. After mid-Feb. I could eat more and the feelings of things getting stuck are much more rare now and I'm feeling like I'm ready for another fill now! I'm concerned about how much I can eat and the weight is really slow at coming off now, even though I'm exercising at the gym 4 to 5 times a week... It's disappointing to work out so much and I'm not eating near as much as I used to and things have slowed to a turtle pace... :scared2: I have an appt. on Wed. to have another fill! I'm actually looking forward to it so the weight loss goes back into high gear again... :drool: I'm hoping the "stuck" feeling won't get any worse then what it felt like after the first fill... I'm going to be careful about chewing too and just plan on eating much less now that I have the first fill experience behind me... Does anyone feel that the "stuck" feelings get worse with each fill or about the same??? It's great to hear from everyone. I learn so much and don't feel like what I'm going through isn't typical! Good luck to everyone and hang in there!!! :cursing:

Thanks everyone for the advice!! I'm trying to eat more so that has helped! Never thought I'd hear myself say that!!! I've just been so busy that eating really gets pushed to the back burner. After my first fill (2 wks from Monday) it is amazing how my brain has shifted gears and not thinking about food all the time! I'm just not that hungry or do I feel like eating... WOW! What a CHANGE!!! :crying: I've been eating a little Peanut Butter and a glass of milk and that seems to help me warm up... Also takes away any hunger pains if I've wait to long to eat... Peanut butter must coat the stomach... I'm going to call the Doctors office Monday too. I'm going to keep track of what I eat today so I can see if this is too tight and I need to get some taken out... Hope everyone is doing well and thanks again for all the help!!!

Twilight, sorry to hear about the kids... :eek: Tis the season... :biggrin: Stay well and healthy. You don't need to get sick too. I'm kind of scared about getting the flu and etc. I can't imagine tossing my Cookies... (I think I mean what little food I'm eating up... My cookie days are pretty much gone... :blushing:) Thanks for the advise about the fill. I had no idea it could take a couple of weeks. I assumed "it's filled, it's filled"... Not that it continues to change the next couple of weeks. Great info! Now I won't think that I am crazy and imagining things! :tongue2: My husband has a BAD herniated disk, he got a steroid injection today so we were at the Doctors office and surgical center all day today... I had 1/2 cup oatmeal today... Definitely under 2/3 c. Thank goodness I had a Nutri Grain bar in my purse or I probably would have crawled and begged for food from people nearby. :eek: There was nothing around but hot green tea which was nice at first but by the time we were out of there, I was so hungry my stomach hurt. :frown: I tried to drive carefully and miss all the bumps in the road but I felt like a horse headed back to the barn and knows it's feeding time! :eek::regular_smile: I ate a little chicken, veggie & brown rice combo... Left overs... It was so GOOD! It went down pretty well with Water... IF I didn't rush things... But I have been COLD all day until now... I read somewhere that after you are banded and you don't eat enough, that is your bodies way of going into the slow metabolism mode and your weight loss slows down... :sad: Thank goodness tonight that has gone away with the healthy dinner and I was able to eat about 1/2 cup of food... maybe a little more... YIPEE! What an improvement from bites at a time and you CAN'T eat any more... I feel better eating 1/2 c. of food. Thanks for the advice about the water too! I haven't drank near enough today so I'm going to work on that tonight. Good luck with the kiddos and stay well! Glad to hear your excited about Monday too! :tt1: Girlmoose

Hi everyone! I'm new to the site and glad to see there are others that were banded in December! I was banded Dec. 17th and had my first fill last Monday. I can definitely feel a difference! After surgery I couldn't eat that much and the weight came off fast those 3 weeks. Then I went out of town and I could eat 1/2 to 3/4 of what I normally did and things stablizated. :eek: I had a lot of pain with my muscle and it was SNOWY and COLD here in Colorado so I didn't get out and walk or exercise much. :eek: It is still sore sometimes when I roll over at night... OUCH! :eek: Since I was filled with 5cc, things have... gotten tighter! :eek: But what is weird is I didn't feel it as tight last week, as I have the last 2 or 3 days... Is that weird??? :huh2: Yesterday and today I haven't been able to each that much... A few bites at a time and I'm uncomfortable... :eek: I guess the weight loss is going to speed up now! Is anyone else having trouble giving up drinking when you do eat??? :huh2: I am having a hard time stopping this habit... Since my fill though, I can only sip or I feel like the Water isn't going down for a few seconds so this has helped me slow down on the drinking with a meal habit. However, if I'm eating something drier, I need a drink! :frown: If the food is soft and moisture in it, I can do a better not drinking when I'm eating.... Congrats to everyone who didn't let the holidays stop them from being banded! It would have been so EASY to binge through the holidays! :eek: Good luck everybody!!! Girlmoose

I was banded 12/17/08 and just had my first fill last week. After surgery I lost 14 pounds. The first two to three weeks I did really good and then I had to go out of town. i could eat probably 1/2 - 3/4 of what I use to eat. I kept the 14 pounds off from the first couple of weeks but I was a little nervous too feeling like I was eating too much. The first couple of weeks when I was losing the weight I felt cold and weak. :wink2: When I started eating more, I felt better...:confused: After my first fill last week, I have noticed a difference in the amount I can eat. It is much less but I'm still adjusting to "how much" and how things have changed since the fill... :eek: Today after Breakfast I have been uncomfortable. A couple of bites and I just feel like things are going to come back up and the food isn't going down....:mad: I'm sure my weight loss with increase now with the first fill. I'm trying to stay focus on the long term picture and losing the weight in a healthy pace. It's so easy to feel pressure about not losing enough or fast enough... Food is still an issue... :huh2: I don't think habits change overnight but this seems to be a great tool to force some positive change and give us the ability to be healthier and skinnier... :tt1: Not sure if this helps... I'm so new at this too... Just hang in there and keep the momentum going!!!

I was banded 12/17/07 and got my first fill last week. Today is my first experience of this...:tongue: feeling of things not going down. It has felt like this since late morning. Every time I try and eat something its uncomfortable and I actually... spit up some foamy stuff in the sink after a couple of bites tonight... :cool2: Makes me not want to eat... but I want to eat something.... Isn't that crazy???

Your doing great! I was banded on 12-17-07. I just got my first fill last week. I'm noticing a BIG difference now! Today, I've been the most uncomfortable since breakfast... Every time I try and eat something it feels like it could come back up... Water goes down fine though. I guess I'm just not use to the feelings and how much to eat now. I need this though. I could eat too much before and this is what it is all about.... :tongue:

I barely made a BMI of 35. It was worth the extra 10 pounds to get there because my insurance would pay 7,000.00 (half) for the surgery. :huh2: I never had weight problems at all until after 2 children and my weight has just slowly been going up the last 10 years from there. :cool2: I had the surgery 12/17/07 and had my first fill last week. I have lost 14 pounds so far. Most came off the couple of weeks right after surgery. I lost another 5 pounds over the next 4 weeks. I feel better after my first fill. I felt like I could eat 1/2 - 3/4 of what I used to but I definitely notice a difference after the first fill and not being able to eat near as much. I'm so new in this experience myself that I don't have anything to reflect back for "experiences", but I have high cholesterol, trig. & high blood pressure and an old back injury. That is why my insurance easily agreed to pay for it with a BMI of 35. With these health risk & with a BMI of 35, I'm hoping to see improvement in these health areas so I don't have to take medication for a lifetime to control these things... Plus, being in a "normal, healthier" weight will be awesome! :tongue:

:cool2:I was banded Dec. 17th and felt the same way you are. I didn't eat that much the first 2 weeks and had pressure up under my left rib cage. It finally went away with walking more. I started eating more then the 1/4 c. the nutritionist advised us too. If I could have eaten 1/4 cup without the band being filled, I wouldn't have needed the surgery! :-) I was cold and had no energy eating so little. Each week I started eating just a little more. Between my 3rd and 4th week after surgery, I went out of town. Eating out in restaurants for my evening meal. I could only eat 1/2 of what I normally used to eat. That has pretty much been true until the 6th week after surgery. I felt good and had energy to do things but I was concerned about my eating creeping back up. My weight loss slowed too... :-/ At my 6 week check up, I had the band filled for the first time. It definitely cuts down the amount you can eat. Which, of course, makes it easier to eat better. I had trouble not drinking also. That has gotten better also since the fill. I still drink a little or I feel like things are uncomfortable... but I'm full and I'm not eating near as much. I'm eating more than 1/4 c. But not more then 1/2 c. at a time. The fullness sneaks up real quick! Just remember after you get your first fill, grab something healthy first, like your Protein. You'll get full quick and the urge to eat something bad WON'T be there! :-) I'm not an expert in any way about lap-band... Just my experience, which is different for everyone... Hang in there and good luck!