lianna

I think my sex drive has always remained normal, but it is very hard to feel comfortable naked when you know are way too heavy. I definitely feel more confident now. My husbands has totally increased though! He was never "unattracted" to me, but now he is like a fiend, lol.

That seems very agressive to me. I am well over a year out, and within 10 lbs of goal, and still have less than 3ccs in my 4cc band. Are you able to eat solids easily? Any problems with getting stuck or anything else? Bad reflux is often a sign of a too tight band. I would check with the doctor again and let him know all the details. Have you tried taking an OTC acid blocker like Prevacid? It may help in the meantime, but it seems like you might need a small unfill.

Happy St. Paddy's Day right back to ya!!!

I have never dropped below 1000 calories. I try to stay around 1300-1500, with an occasional day off, which is still letting me lose slowly. I had worked my way up to 1800 calories a day and was maintaining well on that for a few months (which is great to know!), but finally got a tiny much needed fill and the weight is coming off again. I find that the closer to goal I get the slower it is coming off, but I dont mind. I have total faith that I will reach goal!

I am doing the dentist thing myself. I had my teeth bleached and got my temporary all porcelian crowns for my 2 front teeth just today! They look so good already, I cant wait to have the permanent ones on. Isnt it great how making such a positive change on the weight and health gets you looking at other things that may have been falling on the wayside?

Great post! I honestly have not encountered that reaction from anyone. Maybe because I didnt tell anyone until I had already lost about 40lbs...or maybe it was said, just not to my face. The closest anyone has come to making a negative thing about my banding was one (overweight) teacher I work with that asked what I was doing to lose so much weight. I told her I had the Lapband and she looked crushed and said, "Oh, I thought you were doing it on your own". But really, I think she wanted me to tell her some magical quick fix solution I had found....like I am taking this pill, or only eating XXX, a spoonful of applecider vinegar before meals, or something like that. The funny thing for me is that this has been a magical solution for me. I could never lose more than 20 lbs before banding, because I couldnt stick with the diets.

I am still losing. It is hard to not get discouraged when you dont see the number on the scale going down EACH and EVERY week.....but I dont think it does that for very many people. I think it is more common that at some point you go a week or two (or more) where your body just plays catch up to the new weight and calorie intake, then resumes the loss. I have had many stalls and outright plateaus this past year+, but eventually the weight loss continues on the downward trend.

Great introduction, lol! You will love all the information and support you will find here at LBT! I dont think I could have made it through those first months without this place. I am very excited for you!

It is hard to deal with the hunger pre-fill. This is commonly called being in "bandster hell"....having the band but no fill to make it work, lol!! I think you should check with your doctor before taking the diet pills, but dont see why they would hurt anything. Just pick good, filling, protien containing mushies, and try avoid things that are high in simple carbs. One of my favorite soft foods was fat free cottage cheese. Half a cup has only 80 calories and 12g or protein. It is very filling and I probably had it for lunch everyday. Refried beans (with no added lard or fat) topped with fatfree sourcream and salsa are also great. They are high carb,but not simple carbs like mashed potatoes, and refried beans are high in fiber and protein and are very filling. You can also puree some canned chicken breast in with some cream of chicken soup and not only does it up the protein content, it makes it much more filling. Get creative and counterattack that hunger!

Plain white bread or buns are the devil!!! I dont even attempt it nor do I miss it. I can eat whole wheat if it is toasted, and can eat a slice or two of crispy thin crust pizza when it has a lot of vegetable toppings.

I am getting very close to my surgeons goal of 145 lbs, just 8 lbs away!!! Personally, I would like to lose down to 135 or so....but anything under 145 (normal BMI for me) will be like icing on the cake!!!

I agree with going for smaller fill amounts. Once you get even close to good restriction it takes much smaller fill amounts to get there and stay there. My last 3 fills were only .2ccs each time.

This site is such a valuable source of information and motivation! I literally couldnt have made it through the first months without it! Keep us updated on when you get a date so we can share your excitement!!!!

Glad you found LBT! It is a wonderful board. BTW, You are doing amazing on the weight loss!

I think your doctor is way off. Your doctor does not seem very informed or up to date on his band knowledge. I think most of us here have lost MORE than 40 lbs the first year. And liking chocolate does not mean you wont stick to the rules..... I love chocolate, lol.

Always keep in mind that you might not lose EVERY single week. It is frustrating but it happens. I went for an entire month and only lost 4 lbs....but dropped an entire pant size. Sometimes I dont drop for a week or two and then the loss continues. As long as it is a continuous downward trend you will get there!

I get ridiculously tight on my periods, especially the first half of the day. I think a lot of women experience this. I know the day I start I might as well stick with soups and liquids for the next 2 days. You may want to cancel the unfill and wait another few days to see if you really need it. But by all means if you dont loosen up by the end of your period you should get in for a tiny unfill.

I had my surgery in Monterrey and we took regular American bills. We had no problem paying for anything with American money, they are used to it. We did get change back in Pesos once, but we just spent it too, lol.

I will confess. I didnt stop smoking before my surgery. I dont know that it made any difference, I think I healed just fine. It is still a nasty habit and bad overall for your health, so if you can quit for the surgery by all means do.

Welcome to Bandland!!! I am so glad you are having an easy recovery and not having any pain! Where did you have your surgery done? You have a low BMI, I am just curious, lol.

Hey Denise! I took my fills very slowly. I got 1cc for the first one, and up to 1.5cc at the second. After that about every 2 months, or 20 lbs lost or so, I would get a .2cc fill... 1.7 then 1.9 by July 06. I like looser restriction so that I can eat the widest variety of foods... In February this year I was still only at 1.9ccs in my band and had almost no restriction left. I got a fill under flouro and they added up to 3ccs and then backed down to 2.7ccs. So I basically have been riding the last 6-8 months on healthy choices as much as the band. I have always been a breakfast skipper, but my Nut insists that the body must have around 200-250 calories in the morning to keep the metabolism steady... so I have always have a protein shake now. Lunch at work is almost always a Lean Cuisine or Smart Ones. I find the ones that come with broccoli instead of rice or pasta. Occasionally a salad with tuna or canned chicken breast on it. I keep things simple and easy. Dinner is just whatever meat we fix and some veggies. I eat fat free cottage cheese a lot for a snack.....1/2 c has only 80 calories and 12g protein (i think it is a perfect snack) I like it with a spoon of sugarfree Orange marmalade stirred in! I am also a veggie freak now! I love zuchinni, broccoli, asparagus, okra, squash, cabbage, stirfry, etc... and keep packages in the freezer at all times so it is always easy to come up with something to go with dinner that is good for me AND DH! I guess I basically just follow the band rules, with the execption of preferring looser restriction.

My surgeon didnt require an enema before surgery. I think that is one of those individual things that some may want done and others dont.

Marlluvia, Dr. Lozano is the doctor I see for aftercare! I am in Harlingen so it is less than an hour to make the trip over and see him. We actually drive over now and then have lunch at Garcias before we leave. I get the onion soup post-fill, which is great! Where are you at? Close to Brownsville? It would be awesome if we could meet up. Also, be very careful on that next fill...once you get close to great restriction it takes very little fill amounts from then on.

I am dying to be in a challenge right now! I need the extra motivation! 20 lbs in 45 days is about 3 lbs per week though. No way can I do that....

I love the way I feel so energetic and healthy. It has been years since I felt this good.