Who'sThere

Well said, Lauren!

Thanks, Joyce. I try not to compare myself to others and just do my thing. I couldn't be happier with my progress. Good luck on your journey! It is indeed a journey. I wish you the best of luck and success!

CONGRATULATIONS!:thumbup:

I've only been banded for seven months, but here's my experience. I haven't tried to drink ANYTHING carbonated since I was banded because I was told not to...forever...and I haven't tried. I was also told not to drink from a staw. I forgot once, and took a sip (I was using it to stir my tea) and it was actually a little painful. As for foods, there is nothing I have found that I can't eat. Now, there are plenty of things that I SHOULDN'T eat, but nothing that I can't eat if I take small bites and chew well. I have gotten stuck about a half a dozen times (resolved itself very quickly) on bready things, but I have been able to tolerate those same things since if I eat very slowly and chew very well. Back to the things I SHOULDN'T eat...I know I may just be rationalizing, but here's my theory anyway. For me this is a complete lifestyle change, not a diet. I know myself well enough to know that I will eat pizza, chocolate, french fries, etc. for the rest of my life. I'm not going to eliminate those things now and then eat them again when I'm at goal. I eat absolutely anything I want now, but I only eat a tiny bit of those "bad" things. I don't have to eat a half a bag of chips. I can eat a handful. I don't eat a half a pizza. I eat two tiny (or one large) slices of thin crust. I don't eat a bag of chocolate truffles. I eat one or two. Am I losing more slowly than some? I'm sure I am, but I am making changes that I feel I can live with forever. I got this band so that I would not diet ever again. I know this rant may seem a little off topic, but this is the most common conversation I have with people who want to know about my band.

I haven't been able to wear my rings for about two months now. They were really loose, but I wore them anyway. BAD IDEA! I was at Bristol Motor Speedway looking at the lights with my husband and nephew when I heard something clink. One of my rings was on the racetrack! Luckily, I found it. Now, I am just wearing a "right hand" diamond ring I already had but couldn't wear in place of my wedding set until I get where I'm going and then I'll have them resized. I've never had luck with ring guards. And, yes, I have the snuggies, too.

About six years ago I had lost 100 pounds and was down to 173 from 273. I'm only 5'3", so I was still quite obese. However, I felt amazing and I was really proud of myself. It wasn't a picture that gave me my reality check though; it was my mother. I was complaining that someone had told me I looked frail, and my mother who I think was trying to make me feel better said, "You aren't frail. You've lost a lot, but you're still fat." :blink:Well, let's just say that is definietly not the support I was looking for. I still have that in the back of my mind, so even though I have lost 60 pounds (BTW...I got back up to 283) I still don't feel much difference. The only time I do is when I pick up an article of clothing I think looks really small and realize that this is the size I wear now. The funny thing is that these "tiny" clothes I look at now will look huge in a few months. It's all relative. As a footnote, I'll add that back then I WAS frail, so to speak. I had lost the weight way too fast on an extreme diet, and I was actually quite sick. A couple of months later I nearly died from extremely low BP and gall bladder trouble that was almost never properly diagnosed. The moral to that story is that I'm so happy to be doing this a much healthier way this time!:biggrin:

Well, I've not been very dedicated to this thread, and I really need to do better, but here goes. Starting weight: 283 Surgery weight: 270 Last post: 228 (1/6/10) Today: 223 So...this tells me I have lost 5 pounds in about three weeks. While that's not great, I'll still take it.

Name***********Starting****Current******Goal******ToGo Adjua.....................347...............337...........240.............97 Astrasmom.............254...............254...........170..............84 Babe......................265...............265...........199.... .........66 Band_Groupie........172.5.............165............158.............. 7 BetsyB..................226.6.............221.6.........109...... ......112.6 BobbieND..............224...............220.0..........150..... ........70 Brigette.................198...............198.............150.... ........48 crzytchr.................217...............217..............180.... ... ....37 DANA36.................233...............233..............160...... .....73 daqui26.................274...............274..............200...... .....74 destined4thinness...215.5.............215.5..........150............65 .5 ericanda1973..........198.5............198.5...........130......... ...68.5 HummingBird..........204...............196..............150........ ....46 jenibeni.................224...............221.5............165....... .....57.5 Jennih...................232................232..............130.... .......102 KDEE....................240................240...............150...... ......90 Lisa65...................174.5............168...............145..... ......23 Liz........................193.4............193.4............155...... ......39.4 lotzasunshine.........247...............246...............175........ ...71 newdicarlo.............187...............180................135...... . ...45 ol55andahalf..........184...............184................144...... ......40 RandaPanda...........194...............187................150........ ....37 scoutmama............270................270...............180........ ....90 skinny31................261................261................185..... .......76 SNDYCNRD.............207...............204................140......... ...64 TARASGIRL.............305...............298.5...............225....... . ....73.5 TeriLu....................215...............215................150.. .... ......65 TIGGER71G............224...............224................130....... ......94 Tabithan...............244...............234................190....... ......44 unshackled............277...............277................180....... ......97 Valerie.................190................190..................150... . .......40 Aivey...................223.................223.................173.............50

Yep...what y'all said...disappointing and boring.

I just wanna say I searched this site for "bra size changes" and this popped up...not exactly what I was looking for but entertaining nonetheless...

Well, I went bra shopping this weekend. The results were quite depressing. I was in a 44DD, but the style of bra I was buying is the only bra I was able to fit into a DD. In other styles, I had to have a DDD. Well, just as crzytchr figured, I did go down in band and up in cup. As a matter of fact, I am now a 40H. How the heck is that possible?!?! I was measured, and then I tried on a sample bra and the lady was spot on. It fit like a glove. Apparently what I have is all breast tissue and not going away even though I have lost 4 inches in the rib cage. That brings the difference in my bust and rib cage measurement to a whopping 9 inches. Now I feel like a freak! To add insult to injury, I will now have to go to a specialty shop or order my bras. I thought having to buy all my bras at Lane Bryant was bad enough.

I experienced a little of what I've heard others call Last Supper Syndrome. Before I had to start my liquid diet, I ate like I would never eat again. Since the band, I have done fine. In fact, I did fine on the all liquid diet...all 24 days of it (10 pre-op and 14 post-op). Don't fret...if you are truly committed when the time for the band comes, you will do fine.

I did watch what I ate a little, but I wouldn't say I honestly stuck to the diet plan. I lost 13 pounds pre-op but that does include the liquid phase, too. I don't know how much was before liquids or how much was after.

Thanks for the advice. Now I have even a harder task ahead of me...just when I was thinking it was going to get easier to find bras! LOL! What was I thinking?

I have had three fills, and I haven't been offerend numbing meds. I don't really think I need them though. The first fill was a breeze. During the second fill, he had to stick me twice because he missed the port the first time, but that wasn't too bad. The third time, he got the port right away, but he had to apply a lot of pressue because I have a LOT of scar tissue around my port area. The pressure was a bit uncomfortable, but I don't think a numbing shot would necessarily help that. On a side note, my husband went with me the last time (hadn't been with me for the first two) and he got queezy from seeing the fill. Funny how it bothers him but not me, and I'm the patient!!!

Just thought I'd check in with my fellow Freedom Fighters to see where we are. I have had two fills and have a total of 4.4 cc's. My surgeon only does fills every eight weeks, which has had me a little bummed. However, I am in this for the long haul, so I will be content. So far, I have lost a total of 48 pounds. 13 of those were pre-op, so I've lost 35 since my 7/7 surgery. I was just wondering how I compare to other banded around my time. So, let's hear it...where are you?

Oh, duh! Bobbie, I just noticed that your post was old. We already knew you had a leak...sorry! It's been a long day!

It's great to hear from you! I'm glad you are doing better. Just think of this as a new year for a new start. Best of luck!

Well, it has been a while since I've been on here. My second job has taken up so much time, but I quit that, so here I am again. Starting weight: 283 Surgery weight: 270 Current weight: 228 The scale flirted with 227 this morning, but I weighed again (I always weight twice to make sure it's accurate) and it was 228. So, I weighed a third time and it was 228 again. Oh, well, it will come!

Hey, Bobbie, I just wanted to check in with you. I hope all is well and you are on the road to a speedy recovery.

Bobbie, please don't feel like a failure. I'm right there with you. I was at like 53 pounds down total (40 post op) and I went back up to a loss of only 50 pounds for a while. I only lost 5 pounds between my last two fills (8 weeks). Now that I have what I think is decent restricion, I have lost back down to 53 and lost 2 more. I think we can be too hard on ourselves. Remember this is a marathon, not a sprint! I'm crossing my fingers that he missed your port and that you won't need a revision! BTW...I had my third fill and forgot to ask how much he put in. I suppose I'll have to call and get that info., but I am feeling this fill, and I'm optimistic.

Love this thread!!! Pants: Was 24/26, Now 18 Tops: Was 26/28 or 3/4X, Now 16/18 or 1X So far, I haven't changed bras, but the ones I am wearing are seriously getting loose around. I have to wash them every day just so they will shrink up and be tight enough. The cups are still full though. They are 44DD, but I think I could probably get a 40DD now.

I didn't know there was such a law. Please elaborate.

Here's a funny story about how kids understand (or misunderstand) the surgery. I teach fourth and fifth grades at a very rural school, but I taught third before that, so I had some of my students for three straight years. One of my former students and his cousin (a current student) were discussing me over a family dinner recently. (I teach with one of the moms who shared the story with me.) The older students commented about how great I look this year and that he was really proud of me. The younger student said, "I think she had a removal done." So funny! The kids ask me why I drink so much, don't drink with my meals, can't chew gum, etc. so I told them I had a surgery on my tummy to help me lose weight so that I could be healthy. My little Sawyer thinks I had a removal. I don't know what he thinks I had removed though...perhaps he thinks I don't have a tummy any more! Maybe I should share more details with him!

For the past couple of weeks I have been very sore all around my port. Mine is on the muscle under my right breast. That muscle hurts when I reach for something in that direction, push a vacuum, etc. I also hurst to lie on my right side. My actual port isn't sore, but that whole muscle area is. I don't have any visible bruises, and I can't remember doing anything to it, so I don't think I've pulled a muscle or bruised it. Also, I haven't lost much at all this time (five pounds in seven weeks and almost all of that the first three weeks). Do you think there is something band-related wrong or just a coincidence? I go to the doctor Monday, so I don't think I need to go to the ER or anything. Basically, I want to know if anyone else has experienced anything similar. Thanks in advance!