soontoBthin

Hi Mer and Sue, Sorry I have missed the meetings the past 3 weeks, but I will be there next Thursday. I really need to go as the chats are very supportive. I am not a great self motivator so the meetings help keep me on track, by acting as reminder of where we have all been and where we are going. Hope all is well with everyone as we continue our journey. Go for 3rd fill Wednesday and hope this will be the one. Suzanne

Sue, Seven weeks, WOW! Now that is total comittment to your band and to what you really want to accomplish. That must have been difficult but you did it. You have been an inspiration to me since I first met you at the Gig Harbor meeting. Seeing what can be accomplished if we want it bad enough is a real enforcer. I only hope that if I feel I am really faltering, I can be as committed. I hope all else is going well also. We have missed you at the meeting, but I do remember how busy kids can keep their moms. Kudos to you. Suzanne

Hi Sue, Good luck, we will be thinking of you. Hope to see you at Gig Harbor meeting on Thursday. You have done so awesome, you will get back on track. Just keep that mental picture of where you were pre-band and where you intend to stay post band. Suzanne

We had a pysycologist (working on her PHd) visit our support group last week. She is specializing in weight loss surgery patients and she put it very precisely. The Dr. can add the band to our stomach's but we have to add a band to our heads. Sometimes that takes some counseling to help with that band. After listening to her I know that if I find my head band slipping I will definately go in for a readjustment of that, just as well as I will if I feel that my lap band might have slipped. I feel the reason I am heavy is I am/was co-dependent on food, and that is what I know I need to always be aware of. The lap band limits how much we eat, the head band limits what we choose to eat.

:huh2: I drink coffee and tea and have since surgery on 2/25/08. It has not affected my weight loss (20 lbs.) and I have very little restriction.

It's so interesting to hear how different this is for all of us. I have a 14cc band, had 6cc put in at time of srugery. No restriction-went for first fill, added 1.2cc for total 7.2 cc, and still very little restriction. I am hoping next fill will at least give some restricton. I have lost 15 pounds since 2/25/08 but it is because the band is around my head, not my stomach. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but if I don't get some restriction soon I am afraid I am going to lose all resolve as I have so often in the past. Afer all if I could do it on my own, I would not have had the band at all. Good luck to everyone out there on this journey. I am sure it will be a great one if we really want it to be.

I had to self pay for the Dr. ($10,350-he was out of network) and it will be the best money spent if it improves my health issues. I made the statement to my DH that it was like making a car payment. He responded "no, a car depreciates, you will only appreciate". That put a new spin on it.

My 14cc band is filled to 7.2cc. I know there is lots of room for more fill, but I would have thought I would have some restriction at 7.2cc's. The fill nurse was very surprised that my band had 6cc's. She said most people barely have that much fill at 6 months. I guess that helped add to my concern that I might not ever get good restriction. At my first appointment post op I was told that fill was put in to hold the band in place, to keep it from slipping. I guess I just need to be patient, and restriction will be found at some point.

Try 14cc for size!!! When I went in for my first fill I learned that my band was a 14cc. It was filled with 6cc at time of surgery and 1.2cc at time of first fill. Still very little restriction and wondering if I will ever have sufficient restriction with a band that size. I am trying not to get discouraged but 14cc??!!

RE: NWWLS Support Group? I had the times mixed up, here's the actual times. Sorry for the mix up Monday 14th 7:00-8:30 Thursday 17 10:00 -11:30

NWWLS has support group meetings on the 2nd Monday of each month at 10:00 am and the 3rd Thursday of each month at 7:00. The topic this month is self-esteem and self-image. I have not attended one at NWWLS as it is too far, but do attend other local groups. I would like to attend one at NWWLS some time but they do not allow anyone not banded there to attend (or so I heard from another bander), and I do not want to make the trip alone at night. It gets over at 8:30 which means I would not get home until 10:30 anyway, and I have to get up at 4:30 am for work. I hear the group is an excellent one, and do want to try to attend sometime. Dr. Montgomery 2/28/2008