JulieNYC

Mine didn't take until I had a full 10 cc's in my 10 cc band, which was fill #3. My NP had me drink water while he was filling me to see when it backed up, then took a little out. Maybe ask your doc if he can try that technique. It got me right to the level I wanted!

Even if you are a more frequent PBer (unlikely), it won't happen in the middle of court since you're not likely eating there. PBs aren't something that happen 2 hours after eating -- you'll know you're "stuck" within seconds or minutes of swallowing. Hope that eases your concern! They're really not as big of a deal as you think pre-band and it's completely within your control to prevent about 95% of them (not being too tight and avoiding certain foods like doughy breads).

Just a thought on the September challenge. How about a flat number like "I'll make it to the gym for 30 minutes or more (or if you don't use a gym, on my walk, swim, whatever) -- no matter what I actually do there -- 15 (or 20) times during the month of September." That way we can tell ourselves we're not going to do much, but it'll get us through the door. If I do that, I usually wind up with a decent workout despite my lack of enthusiasm. I'd be up for something more stringent, but I thought this way we'd catch as many people as possible in the net. Any thoughts?

That's a great idea. Maybe a September challenge? Or a "by the holidays" challenge? I vote for a shorter challenge, like one month. I have a hard time staying on a super-challenge. Once I go off, I can't ever get back on....

Thanks! Honestly, it's the ONLY silver lining to starting as a high BMI patient. The first 50 slides right off. Now it's slowed to a more typical bandster rate, but I feel so much better that I don't even care! BTW, I tried the 3 bite thing tonight. I'm uncomfortably full but not in pain like I would have been in 6 more bites. Guess I'll go to 2 bites tomorrow. It's hard because, for me at least, it takes about 5 minutes before the "I'm too full" feeling hits. Probably a sign that I should eat slower.

I was constipated from the anesthesia but haven't had problems since. It took about 3 weeks to sort out post-op.

For me, it's hand embroidery and smocking. I never seemed to have time for it before banding (because I was always eating in front of the tv and your hands have to be really clean for handwork). Now I can't find enough children to sew for, so I started a side business! Wink.

Go Molly! You can do it! Keep that momentum going and come on over the border! I bet if you commit to fitday until you're "safely" at 295, you'll be there in no time. I lose the best when I'm tracking as well. As long as the head hunger isn't too bad, knowing what I've had and what my goals are really helps me to make the right choices later in the day (my danger time has always been dinner). Lapbandit, I finally decided my Christmas goal is 235. It's aggressive, but I do better with an aggressive goal. I'm not too hard on myself if I don't meet my goals, but if I meet them early, I'm prone to slacking off until I set the next one. So, that's 2.7 lbs per week. I know it's aggressive for a bandster, but I think I can do it.

Kimmason, WIll your doctor's office let you schedule your first fill -- even though it's still several weeks away? That might let you feel like there's an END to this feeling. I have to tell you, the pre-fill stage is the worst. I didn't have a day quite like yours during the liquid stage, but at week 4 when I was allowed to go to solids but still had 3 weeks until my fill, I was MISERABLE. I ate every bit of what I ate pre-band. I even gained. I thought I'd just gone through major surgery only to have it not work at all (even though I knew logically the fill would make a difference). But, you WILL get through it. Once you get a proper fill, you WILL feel different and more in control. It will be easier not to choose high calorie foods once you've got the band helping you. In the interim, I'd suggest allowing yourself some slack on the type of liquid you have, but do try to stick to liquids and let yourself heal. This is a tool you want for the rest of your life and though I doubt the one slip hurt you, I wouldn't take that as a license to eat real food. Drink chocolate milk if you crave chocolate. Puree marinera sauce with cottage cheese if you feel like pizza (it tastes quite like pizza sauce and is very filling for a liquid). You can do this!

I wouldn't worry about your band being "almost full." There's still a long way to go with 3.5. Most docs will fill a 4 cc band to at least 5 if necessary. Plus, the more you have in your band, the more each tenth of a cc affects your stoma size. Think about it -- since the outside of the band is a fixed diameter, as the inside gets smaller and smaller with more fill, it takes less Fluid to make the already smaller inside diameter even smaller. You've got plenty of room in your band if you think you need more fill! You're weight loss is great. 5 more lbs to your mini goal! Way to go.

This is the most accurate description of pre-banding hunger I've ever read. I didn't realize until I read it that this is exactly how I felt. The THOUGHT of hunger was hunger pre-band. Now, hunger is something I feel with my whole body, not just my head. My stomach growls or just has a feeling of movement, but it's more than that. I actually feel like I NEED food, from my fingers to my toes. It's more of a physical thing that hunger ever was before. I'm still working on the full thing. I know what too full feels like. It's much higher physicially (below the breastbone) than it was pre-band (at or just below the waist). I've tried asking myself "could I stop now" after every bite. The answer is often "yes" but if I do stop, I'll be hungry again sooner than I'd like to be. So the answer is somewhere between "could I stop now" and "gee I wish I hadn't had that last bite." Usually those feelings are about 6 bites part. I guess I could try eating 3 of the bites and seeing if that's just right.

Call the nutritionist at your doctor's office. Mine let me modify slightly, within strict parameters, as long as I stayed within the calorie, Protein and fat goals. For me, this meant I could have 1 soy product a day (or 3 oz chicken). But, please call your doctor's office. You'll feel so much better going into surgery knowing that you did everything you could to make your surgery go smoothly and that everything you ate was at your doctor's guidance. You can make it. You won't be hungry once you come out of surgery, and that will be worth this short term misery -- I promise!

Given my higher BMI, my doctor just said "let's get you under 200." In my adult life, I've been as small as 175, which put me at a size 12-14. If I could get there again, that would be great. Maybe when I get there, I'll want to be smaller. Who knows. I'm going with my Dr.'s goal for now, then I'll readjust if I want to.

I'm all for it LapBandit. Let's keep this thread alive. I'm not sure what my ultimate goal is either. I think I'll have to get closer to it to know. I think I'll have PS around 160 (my Dad's a PS, which is nice in terms of costs), which should get me to 145 (I bet they cut off every bit of 15 when this is over). I can't even imagine what that would be like. I got down to 175 about 6 years ago and I wasn't skinny, but I was totally happy with my life. I'm only 5'2, so I really should be smaller than that, but for the moment, 250 would be great. LapBandit, I need a goal weight by Christmas/New Years'. We're about the same weight. Do you have a goal that far out? What do you think it should be? I'm toying with 230, but don't want to set myself up for failure.

Indianlight, I felt exactly the same way before my first fill. It was the hardest part of this journey for me so far, including the surgery itself. I felt like I had just gone through major surgery to get this weight under control and NOTHING was different. Fast forward 2 weeks to my first fill and AHHHHH, relief. My first fill didn't get me to my "sweet spot" but I did feel a little different -- different enough to know that I was on the right track. Hang in there until your fill. This time is for healing. Be careful -- try not to go crazy with food, but know that the end is near. This IS going to work. Take care,

Come on Elisabethsew! You can do it! 2 more lbs is nothing! Way to go! Woohoo! Brenda, that's amazing! 15 years above the 2's and now you've done it! I bet you look 15 years younger. Woohoo! That's incredible! I know how you feel -- now I'm obsessed with getting to 250 so that I'm closer to the 1's than the 3's. Closer to the 1's? Who AM I????? It seems so foreign.

Squiggle, Your concerns are 100% NORMAL and I had the exact same top 3 concerns prior to my surgery. You are doing the right thing -- just get this behind you and you'll be on track for a wonderful new life. (1) What if you don't make it? OK, the chances of this actually happening are MICROSCOPIC. You've been through all the testing and have been cleared. This is among the safest of all operations performed under general anesthesia. You have confidence in your doctor. That said, what helped me through this concern was planning (even though many think it's over the top given the mere tiny chance of not waking up, it made me feel better to know things were in order). I updated my will, I wrote a letter to my SO (that he only got to read if I didn't wake up), I left a list of financial information for my Mom (bank accounts, significant assets, etc.). My letter to my SO said that I truly believed that this was what I was supposed to do and that I didn't regret it, even if he was reading the letter, but that I regretted not being able to spend our lives together. I told him I was doing this to be able to have the best life together possible. If this approach appeals to you (some find it morbid), maybe write a letter to your son. The only purpose is to give yourself peace in going into surgery, because you WILL wake up. (2) You followed the diet well enough. I really obsessed on this point too, so I know how you feel! If you went a carb or two over (or even 10), you're still going to have lost weight. I predict you're going to be AMAZED at how much weight you've lost. I started at about your size (a little less in LBS, but I'm only 5'2) and I lost 15 lbs on the pre-op and though I gave it my best effort, I really didn't follow it as closely as I should have. And I still lost 15! It's going to be the same for you. You've done what you can, forgive yourself for the rest, and go into surgery knowing that you trust your surgeon. (3) Your lapband will not fail. I frequent another bandster group where the leader always answers this question with a curt "you're not that special." The band works -- particularly if you work with it (get your fills, DON'T let yourself stay overfilled, even if you think it means you'll lose faster, because it doesn't mean that, eat healthy foods most of the time). You're starting an amazing journey. I'm so excited for you!

That's so exciting Labpandit! Congratulations. You're my hero. Molly, I can't wait to see your numbers, come September 1st. As for me, I'm trying to be at 280 by September 7th, which is my next doctor's appt. That'll put me down 20 lbs from my last visit, 6 weeks prior, which would be nice. Good luck to all!

Margo, you're a goddess! Look how fabulous you are! Way to go. Congratulations on your one year bandiversary and you're great new look. I hope I look as great one year out!

You look FABULOUS dahling! Those pseky little 8 lbs will be off in no time. You are amazing! Way to go.

2 of my colleagues (the ones who know about the surgery) and I actually have an office pool going as to which of my other (10 or so) colleagues will say something first. I think people notice before they're actually willing to say something; weight being such a sensitive issue and all. At least I hope that's the reason they haven't said anything and not that they haven't noticed! Congratulations Jlogantx!

Ditto, ditto, ditto. Only regret is not doing this sooner. There is nothing my band limits me on (except binge eating) and it has opened up a whole new world.

My advice is get the band as soon as you can and then wait to get your first fill until after you get back from Mexico. You'll be fully healed and probably won't have any/much restriction without a fill, so you'll feel like your old self and will be really ready to kick into weight loss action when you get home (and filled). The timing couldn't sound better in my opinion! Congratulations.

Eileenja, This is precisely why I weigh every day, even when I don't want to. I can't always be perfect with food, sometimes I might skip the gym when I shouldn't, but what I can do is weigh every day and be accountable to myself. My psychologist, who works with a lot of WLS patients, advocates weighing once a week or (better yet, by him) once a month. For me, that would lead to a slippery slope. I understand the dangers of scale obsession, but it's the right thing for me. I don't beat myself up when I retain water, etc. -- it's about me being in control. My advice is to weigh. And probably to get a fill.

4-3: JenRN - 263/257/248/150 - 15 total 4-3: jenn28 - 282/265/229/165 - 53 total 4-3: Picardy3 - 298/300/271/150 - 29 total 4-3: tipper - 300/290/259/165 - 41 total 4-4: Sugar1 - 311/289/231/150 - 80 total 4-4: Dak – 255/251/225/150 – 50 total 4-4: Angels - 264/255/235/? - 29 total 4-4: Harpseal Al - 327/295/220 - 34 total 4-5: Boo - 208/203/188/130 - 20 total 4-6: Disneynut - 290/287/260/125 - 27 total 4-7: Guysis - 234/197/134 - 37 total 4-10: JulieNYC - 358/288/150 - 70 total 4-11: Vickie1177 - 320/297/267/137 - 53 total 4-11: tellymelly - 240/235/184/135 - 55 total 4-11: Fel0816 - 307/284/265/to get under 200 - 42 total 4-11: dsrjrr - 231/230/210/130 - 21 total 4:11: truckinmama - 262/234/160 28 total 4-13: Nursekathy2u - 358/356/335/175 - 23 total 4-13: NJgirl - 248/230/212/140 - 36 total 4-13: Miper70 - 217/201/145 - 16 total 4-17: Amourette - 22.5 total 4-17: Jeepergurrl - 242/222/140 - 20 total 4-17: MelAnne - 245/207/150 - 38 total 4-18: Danaclark2 - 270/260.5/245/150 - 25 total 4-18: LapBandit - 392/369/347/336/324/308/298 - 94 total 4-20: Omamoon - 220/211.5/202/130 - 18 total 4-20: KimInMD - 288/288/253/156 - 35 total 4-21: Yoda - 273/257/231/150 - 42 total 4-21: kristielynn - 310/302/259/150 - 51 total 4-22: alisonb - 286/270/176 - 16 total 4-24: Eficka - 125/117 op.day/106.6/69 - 18.4 kgs/40.4 lbs total 4-24: Ceparano - 255/270.5/235/170 - 35 total 4-24: Kat - 289/281/246/165 - 43 lbs total 4-24: hlj25950 - 262/257/241/160 - 21 total 4-25: momof2boys - 270/266/244/145 - 26 total 4-26: Bostongurl - 264/244/208/145 - 56 total 4-27: tinaj - 226/221/210/150 - 15 total 4-27: lookingout - 185/178/165/101 - 20 total 4-27: flowergoddesstn - 214/204/190/130 - 24 total 4-27: Dimples0323 - 284/284/241/145 - 43 total 4-28: Susan4794 - 283/267/260.2/145 - 22.8 total 4-28: bluehill - 333/278/145 - 55 total 4-28: Irish Girl - 224/214/182/135 - 42 total