peanutbubbamom

Get the fill, get back on track, and use the tool you've been given!! If you are ever too tight, a slight unfill is a MUST! I stuck it out for nearly two months being too tight because I was so afraid of getting and unfill and gaining weight. During that two months, I had a 5 week plateau where I went back and forth between the same 2 pounds because I simply was not able to take in enough calories. Long story short, .4 of a cc later unfilled, and I am back on the losing wagon (3.2 pounds last week!) Best of luck to you, OP! Lisa

Popcorn is NOT the gauge to use, as the others have stated. I can eat popcorn like it's my job, and I have an awful lot of restriction right now. Really pay attention to what you're eating, how big your bites are and how much you're eating before deciding if an unfill is the answer!

A couple of hints, since I've 'been there, done that'..... First, if you must weigh yourself other than your doctor's office (which is how I was), be sure to use a reliable scale. For instance, I know that the scale in my home registers three pounds heavier than the scale in my surgeon's office (this makes for a nice surprise when I go in for fills :thumbs_up:). Second, just like you, I GAINED weight in the exact same point in the process and I was SO frustrated; I cried, I had a pity party, I swore that I was stupid for doing all of this, and then..... I started losing. It took me three fills (my last one was two months ago) and I finally hit an AWESOME point in my restriction; I eat lots of small meals a day; I NEVER order when we go out (I just have a few bites from my husband's plate), and I very rarely actually feel 'hungry'. The amount of weight I lost so far is 82 pounds (surgery was in June, but this is how much weight I've lost since early May), and I've only got 61 more pounds to go to my goal; I never thought I'd be at that point. Honestly, even if I never lost another pound, I am truly happy with as far as I've come. I'm just trying to encourage you to get through this rough time. I can remember being in your shoes and feeling the exact same way, but honestly, take a deep breath, stay off the scale, get the fills that you need, and you'll be on your way!

I live in Cleveland; drive around 3.5 hours to get to his office; they are the BEST! I actually have an appointment scheduled at their satellite office in Columbus in a few weeks; haven't been to that location yet.

I financed mine through Care Credit; yes, it will take me 7 years to pay off, and yes, that freaking stinks, but you know what, it was worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY. My insurance had a written exclusion for any type of weight loss surgery, so I had no choice. I told myself that everything happens for a reason and that I would explore every possible avenue and whatever happened, happened. It all worked out, and I couldn't be happier!

OH MY GOSH~~ I was just having this discussion with my husband this afternoon. I had a yucky stuck episode, and he's understanding and tries to listen to me, but he just doesn't get what it's like. And trying to describe it to someone like in passing or in a conversation is almost impossible. It's nice to be with a bunch of people that 'get it'!! I'm here to talk anytime you want!!

The best advice I got.... and I know that it stinks...... is to keep a food journal, keep doing the 'right things', and keep plugging away. Our bodies aren't machines that always work exactly the same way, in the same manner, and unfortunately, a side effect of that is that they sometimes go through these ugly plateaus. IT SUCKS.... but, seriously, keep going, and eventually, the scale will start to move in the right direction!!

Hi Mamame! I think that everything that you're feeling is completely normal and to be expected. I know that I felt all of those things leading up to my surgery too. Just don't get discouraged along the way, and remember that you can always come here for help and answers to your questions. I may not post very much, but I read A LOT and it has helped me immensely!! Hope to see you around! :eek:

I know that this is going to sound very, very bizarre, but I believe that I always had the OPPOSITE problem. Even at 320 pounds, I never looked in the mirror and said, "holy crap are you fat". I always thought I looked pretty darn good. Sure, I was a little chunky (uh, last time I checked that's about 160 pounds of extra chunky), but it was no big deal. And, every time I saw a picture of me where I looked big, it's always because 'it was a bad picture', or 'the lighting was bad', blah, blah, blah. Very strange. That's why I have a hard time with people complimenting me on my weight loss. I never really thought it was a big deal, but obviously, it's made a big difference!

I will tell you that I was in the same boat. My doctor said I needed to be on two weeks of Medifast prior to surgery. I took everything home, opened up that box on the first day of the liquid diet, made a shake drank some, and promptly threw up in the sink. So.. I took the nutritional info from the Medifast box to GNC and bought a comparable brand. The brand I bought was Amplify. Super low carbs, 24 grams of Protein in 4 oz (you mix it with water). I used the chocolate, and it was very good, I have to say (tasted kinda like melted ice cream!). The most important part (if you do something like this) is to keep it low/no carb and HIGH protein, and take a Multivitamin because the Medifast does have all of your Vitamins in it as well. My surgery was 25 minutes long from start to finish and the surgeon said everything went beautifully. I'm not saying the same will happen for you, I'm just telling you my experience.