Sugarbear

Hello again Armonet. Refering to the amount of fills you get to reach that "sweet spot," it varies. I have a friend that lost most of her weight on one fill. Reached her goal on the second fill. It took me four or five. With the exception of one pregnancy, she has maintained that weight very well. As hard as it is, just be patient. There is no standard rule that fits everyone when it comes to fills. How the bands fits around your opening to the stomach may be completely different than others. Some may be smaller or larger. The amount put in the band may vary a little also. So you can see the amount of fills will vary also. I always tell my fellow bandsters we didn't reach this weight over night and we aren't going to reach our goal overnight either. Just know that you are heading in the right direction on your weightloss journey. I hope you took a good look at the figure you saw on the scale before you started this journey because you are NEVER going to see it again! There are support group meetings in Texarkana by Precision Surgery. I don't know if you have been attending them or not. But they are a good source of support especially when you are a new patient. I went to them a year following my surgery. Good luck on your journey. f Follow the Band Rules, you will do fine.

I mean the alerts don't always work.

Hello and welcome Armonet. I haven't been on here in a long time. I did recieve an alert through my email on your post. That is the first one of those that I've had in a long time. I still have my band and glad that I do. I have to admit that I don't always use it wisely. It is a great tool but of course it is up to us to use it wisely. It has been quite a while since my surgery. I probably stay within a 6 or 8 pound spread. I started this thread back then because I really wanted to interact with people that used Precision Surgery. I learned lots of important information before my surgery as well as afterwards. It was a great deal of help. I noticed the thread slowing down and was depending on the alerts through email to help answer questions but those apparently always work. Some of us oldies have our emails listed in our profiles. So if you don't get a reply through the threads, most all of us will be glad to answer through emails. After several years we don't seem to be as active on the posts but I am sure most are still willing to help. I know I was on here all the time when I got started on my journey. Feel free to email if you need any help.

How the band fits around the size of the opening into your stomach varies from person to person. Sometimes the fills are trial and error. The doctors have to go by what you tell them. Also they are usually careful to add Fluid in small increments, to prevent over filling. In other words, how my band fits me and how your band fits you may be totally different. Even if we have the same size band. I have chatted with some that get two fills and they are at a perfect spot. Some may take several more to reach that sweet spot. When you reach that sweet spot...you have to obey the rules of the band. Otherwise the it won't feel like your sweet spot. Take care and good luck to you. Welcome to Bandland !

I see this thread isn't near as active as it used to be. But I have a tidbit of info to share, just in case some one is visiting this site and thread. I have a friend that got the lapband. She has loss 130 lbs. so far! Woohoo!! I am so proud for her. She also realizes it is only a tool, to be used wisely during the weight loss journey. Hope everyone is doing well. All you folks that use Precision Surgery, and of course any others that would like to join in, get to posting! I'm not sure if the notifications work correctly here. So you may have to check in every so often to see who and what someone posted. Take care all, and Happy Thanksgiving ! Sugarbear

Helloooo everyone! This is Sugarbear. The person that originally started this thread. Whew! That seems like eons ago. lol I see some familiar names on here. Glad you are still visiting this thread. I had a notification someone posted and I haven't had one of those in a very long time. I have not been to see our doctors in a long time. I think I reached my "sweet spot" and just didn't feel the need to return. I really haven't lost any more weight but haven't gained any back either. Thought about coming back to visit the support group meetings. I went for a long time and enjoyed them and got some good info. But then they began to repeat themselves so I figured I had heard most of what was to be offered. I still feel like the band is a good tool to help guide you through the weight loss journey. But it is ultimately up to us to use it correctly. I think we all catch ourselves "cheating the band." Things that slide easily, high calorie foods that aren't hard to eat, yet low on nutrician. The list goes on. I too am ready to do a little turning around and re-comitting to my band. Most fall of the wagon ocasionally. So let's get going, especially with the holidays soon approaching. Good to hear from you oldie but goodies, as well as you newbies. Everybody take care!

I am nearly 3 yrs. out. I am fine. Haven't lost all the weight yet but that is my doings. We all have tool and gadgets we buy and don't use. Well....I am guilty of that sometimes with my band. It is a weightloss tool that I bought and sometimes don't use. It doesn't tell me what to eat, plus it doesn't act like a barrier when I stuff something in my mouth that shouldn't be going. Only I can do that. I wouldn't change one thing about getting my band. I would do it again tomorrow.

Hello Amy. Congratulations and welcome to bandland! I am nearly three years out from surgery and had a good experience at Wadley as well. I know you will do well on your band journey. Just follow the rules and the rest will take care of itself. Don't over-do while you are healing. You want the band and your port to seat in place. That is so much better in the long run. Fills are much easier when the port is where it is supposed to be and ect. Good luck on your journey and we will help anyway we can. my email is sharonhenley00@yahoo.com if you want to email.

Awwwww, are thread seems to be slipping. Guess I got lazy after 2 years. Keep posting we may have some newbies that need us. Take care. Anybody that wants to email instead go ahead.

Well I just tried out the chat. It was fine. First time that has happen for me.

Autumn, first..congratulations! Next, be sure you have all the things you need for post surgery at your fingertips at home. I don't know what your doctor requires in the line of post surgery items, like plenty of broths, pain meds if you should need them, (liquid). Set heavy things at counter level where you do not have to reach for, nor pick them up. It is good to pre-prepare and possibly freeze items that can be put in the freezer for the rest of your family. Splurge on some quick fix frozen things for them if you don't have time to cook and freeze. Pay bills, clean house, run errands, ect. so in case you don't want to get out much for several days, you don't have to. No pushing, pulling, or lifting. You don't want to upset your port or the band before it can heal and seat in place. Sounds complicated but it's really not. I didn't have one bit of trouble. I did do a LOT of walking and moving around to help relieve any gas build up as soon as I got home, which was within a couple of hours after surgery. Just follow instructions and you will do fine. Good Luck and please let us know how you do. My email is sharonhenley00@yahoo.com if you have any questions.

I had a 2 pound gain, but still got a teeny unfill. Hope yours goes well.Surely they can look back on your history and see more than a teeny one doesn't work on you. I go back in 4 weeks to check out if it worked or I need a hair more out. Still really tied up with taking care of my mil. I will try to get back on and post. Hope all you newbies are doing well.

Thought I would get back on here and do a little posting...but...I see I was the last one to do any posting!! hmmmm. Com'on girls we need to keep our thread alive, especially for any new people that have questions. Had to get an unfill the other day. Hope this goes well.