Uli

Hi Babe, I just read here that you are loosing weight again, what did you do to get it going again as I am on a plateau right now. Any ideas would be great. I have lost 22 pounds with fitday since November, but need to keep going. So any suggestions would be great. Thanks Gerdi

I haven't been here forever either, just like you Babe. I was banded exactly 3 years ago and struggled. Lost 50 pounds right after the band. Now I am back losing weight, and am very happy. I started using this website called www.fitday.com where you enter all the calories you eat, etc. it is fantastic and in the last month I have lost 12.5 pounds without feeling deprived at all. I do believe that the band helps with this and it is really good. I have been on a plateau for so long, but now I am very happy that the weight comes off easy like this, about 2 pounds average a week which is the most healthy way. The band does help as I think without it I would be very hungry. I wanted to come to meetings again and hopefully I will make it one of these days but this is a busy time of year but I will try. Cheers, Gerdi

Hi Doddie, Yes, I am exercising every day in the gym, I can't do too strenuous work though as I am dealing with osteoarthritis of the knee, so I am usually doing stationary bike and weights and I do this 5 times a week. I am quite active so that is not the reason for not losing weight. I am just very frustrated as I would have liked to be at goal but it's just not happening and a lot harder then I thought. Especially thinking that I paid almost $13,000 for something and I still have to watch the same way as before the lap band surgery. Anyhow, thanks for the support, and I might come by in September again as now we are going on vacation, etc. Thanks, Gerdi

I have attended a few meetings and have not attended lately. The reason for it is that some people do talk more and I did feel excluded. I live in Coquitlam but the drive did not bother me. My surgery was November 07 and I have only lost 50 pounds and I might be embarrassed too as I need to lose another 50 which is just not happening at all and I don't know why. I am very stuck and sometimes wished I would have gone for the gastric bypass as the results are faster and better. But having spent $12,000 for this is unbelievable and I am quite disappointed with my personal outcome. I am just very frustrated. Cheers, Gerdi

Hi Nadia, I was banded in December 07 by Dr. Leung and it does get frustrating. However, if you feel that you can still eat too much, then you should go back and get a bigger fill. I always went back to get more fill as I had the same problem you are experiencing. I am now at 12 cc in a 10 cc band but I am sure there is still room. As I have said numerous times, the band is not a miracle, you still have to have a lot of willpower and determination to lose weight as a lot of bad foods go down really well. I would definitely go back for another fill. You need to have a thick skin with Dr. Leung and just block out the lectures, ha,ha. Cheers, Gerdi

Hi, the fastest weight loss is always at the beginning and you are happy the way it goes. I was banded by Dr. Leung in Nov 2007 and have plateaued for one year, and I know why. Now I have seriously started again and lose about 2 pounds a week. One mistake, and the scale tells me right away. Doddie is right, I also weigh myself once a week on the same day and time, that gives you the best results. I find it very hard right now with all the candies and Christmas coming, it is quite difficult to stay on track and for me it only works this way: either all or nothing, so I had to chose nothing, meaning no sweets whatsoever for me. That was always hard but I still need to lose 50 pounds. Anyhow, this will be a challenge for a life time. But it is worth it. Gerdi

I don't keep sweets in the house either at all. And needless to say I was always watching out for my daughter to never get fat and thank God she did not and is at a normal weight for her age. No mother should have children go through the same pain. As long as people put their best willpower into this, it is always better to be banded than stay heavy for the rest of your life. Surgery is the easiest, it is the time of losing after which is a long road. It is a bit difficult to not always think about food when we are surrounded by it daily. On the positive side, for most people the band has been great.

I am also a past patient of Dr. Leung, I was banded in November 2007. Needless to say it has been a struggle for me and I am not at goal. Unfortunately not. I was on a plateau for one year. Not good at all, and I am at 12 cc on a 10 cc band, and Dr. Leung would not do more which is fine as I am quite restricted. However, even with the band you constantly need willpower as sweets and stuff goes down real easy. I do eat a lot less now and the portions are so much smaller, but I can eat everything, no straw or such. I still eat too fast sometimes and then I throw up, but that is always a reminder to slow down. Finally I am in a good state of mind and have my willpower back, so for the last months I have lost 2 pounds a week and I have to say no to all sweets, there is no other way as I am tackling the next 50 pounds which need to come off as I am not happy until it is gone. That's the weight.......ha,ha. If I had to do it all over again, I think I would go with the gastric bypass as this seems faster and yo don't have to work so hard. 2 cousins of mine had that done and they are smaller now than me. What can I say? The struggle will continue for the rest of my life as what is in your head, is not in your stomach, meaning that the craving for sweets will never go away from me. And that was the only thing that I would have wished for. Good luck to you who has the surgery tomorrow. The healing is not bad at all and I was back at work after a few days. Cheers.

I know you had Dr. Leung in Surrey, as I remember, so did I and I also have a 10 cc band but a fill for 12 cc which is apparently quite common with Dr. Leung. Going back is always a battle though, as he simply tells you to stop eating, easier said than done. I am on a long plateau now and weight loss has not happened in a while. Going back to Dr. Leung isn't the answer for me either as he will tell me to stop eating altogether, ha,ha, sure that is what I will do. I would not worry about the over fill as he does that with a few people

Hi, well the restriction is great for normal foods, but I have a problem with sweets - as chocolate etc. goes down really well. So I had to go back to the willpower thing which is extremely difficult and had to cut out all sweets. So in regard to my sweet tooth, the band did nothing for me which I am a bit disappointed about. It is strictly based on willpower when it comes to the bad stuff out there and I know we all crave it once in a while. Well, who said it would be easy, I will have to struggle for the rest of my life. Cheers, Gerdi

Hi Jackie, I have not heard before either that any insurance company would pay for that. I had my surgery done by Dr. Leung in Surrey, the total cost was $12800.00 and 3 fills are free and then he charges $30 each. If you live here - it is quite convenient and I was happy with Dr. Leung as he has done many surgeries. He works out of Surrey Memorial Hospital and has his office across from there. Any questions, please let me know. Cheers, Gerdi

Hi Babe, Hey, you must be glad to have the surgery behind you. From here on out you will quickly lose weight which is great. For me, recovery took about a week, but then again, everybody is different. Hopefully you have a speedy recovery and get back home. All the best. Gerdi

Hi mom2two, I don't find fills hard to get used to. I had 4 fills so far and am at the max, I have a 10 band and have 12 cc. Even after the fills I could eat regular food, just chew more and slower. I used to throw up more, but now it's only once a week or even once every two weeks and I know exactly what I did wrong, as I was eating too fast. But I don't have a problem with that. Just knowing that I am at the highest fill is a bit scary as sometimes I am still hungry (or maybe it's not hunger) but I do crave sweets. And those sweets go down really well. Anyhow, I have stopped now and not have any which is darn hard, especially with Valentines around the corner. Cheers, Gerdi

Paula, I have come to the conclusion that exercise is not for weight loss at all. I am in the gym every working day which is 5 times a week (1 hour at lunch time) and I do believe it is very good to stay healthy but it is not for losing weight - at least not for me and I do cardio and weights.Of course if you watch the show "The Biggest Loser" when you exercise 8 hours a day, then it might be a difference. I have plateaued many times, tried to change things, but there is that hold and the weight does not go down at all. Maybe not eating at all would do the trick ha, ha. It is very frustrating when the scale does not move. My body has become over sensitive, one piece of chocolate for example, and it shows up on the scale - it's awful. Oh well, that's the way it is. Cheers, Gerdi

Hi Paula, wow, I am amazed at your weight loss and being at goal. I was banded in Nov 07. Dr. Leung was my surgeon also but I am still struggling and needless to say I am not at goal, still have 60 pounds to go which seems endless. However, I agree with you about Nothing tastes as good as thin feels, that's for sure. Even though I am not there, the only thing I have ever wanted in life is to be thin as I don't know anything about that. And to Babe: Don't worry, it will be a lot better and just don't think about what you cannot eat, as many people can eat everything, but on the other hand, we all get used to not eating things which are bad for us. We are still human though. I can't wait to see you at the meeting once you are banded. Good luck down in Mexico. Cheers, Gerdi

I totally agree with Canadagirl. Last month was the first time I came to the meeting at Lions Gate and it was totally worth while to get there. I live in Coquitlam so really, it is only a 35 minute drive, not bad at all. There are so many people there with all different experiences, it is really great to hear all this. Instead of starting up support groups all over, I think it is great to have this one in North Vancouver which is well attended. Looking forward to the one on February 18th already. Cheers, Gerdi

Yes, it is a constant learning curve and the band does not do everything for you. But you know when you should stop eating, just put a 1/2 cup container on your dinner table or wherever you eat and never eat more than that as you are full and stuffing the pouch is definitely not a good idea. We are where we are because of our over eating. And we sure do not want to stretch the pouch, bad idea. I myself find vomitting better as then you would not eat after and did not get the food down or the calories. It is not the same vomitting as normal as the food is sitting before the pouch - so it is really not that bad. But it is a lot better to just not eat as much, just 1/2 cup. The pouch should never be overfilled with anything, yes, we all know that but we are also all human.

Dodi is right, everybody is different. And sometimes I still make the mistake of stuffing the pouch too much which is a very bad thing. The little amounts we are supposed to eat are extremely small - so it takes a long time getting used to, especially from what I have eaten before the band, very different story. I need a reminder almost every day to be content after a few bites, and not stuff it. I am sometimes still looking for that over fullness which is a very bad thing and we should never feel that way. Content is the word as I have always overeaten. I think people don't even know what hunger means, as my dr. explained to me once, the gurgling noise in your stomach is not hunger, drink some water and you will get over it. Yup, right.......... Anyhow, that's my 2 cents. Cheers.

With me, even with the fullest restrictions, (I am at the max of fills) I can still eat everything. Of course, I do stay away from most white stuff as that isn't good for you anyways and it could expand in the pouch like white bread, pasta, etc. Nobody should ever eat that stuff anyways. Certain foods I have to chew really well, and that is my biggest problem as I still eat too fast. But it definitely is the chewing part most people have problems with. As before I hit a huge plateau I am finally losing again, all it needed is "no sweets" at all, boy this is easier said than done, but I did and lost 3 pounds this week. So I have to keep going as I have 60 more to go.

As the meeting yesterday was my first one, it was really great to see so many people with similar experiences but also to find out that everybody has such different stories to tell, wow, I am amazed. That shows you that not one body is like another. I am finally on track again without eating any sweets, which still takes a lot of willpower, but it sure is worth it as I need to lose another 50-60 pounds which I know won't be easy. I am sure we all get to our goal eventually. Just never give up, as I keep telling myself. My goal is to fit into a size 10 or 8, then I am really happy. Thanks, Gerdi

Hi there, I had the lap band surgery with Dr. Leung in November 2007. It was a great decision but it is also hard and not that easy to stay on track. I think the next meeting is on January 21 and I will also attend. I am sure there is a lot of information from different people. Cheers, and hopefully see you then at Lions Gate Hospital. Uli

Hi, Just wanted to know if the next meeting will be on January 21. I would like to come to that one as I have never been to a meeting. Thanks,

Well, I do know all that stuff, eating protein, etc. etc. I am doing that, I eat right, but maybe still a bit too much which makes me think that I do need another fill. Well, I have made an appointment for another fill and I hope that this will do the trick then. As I said before my husband can eat much less than me, so I think it is a matter of fills. I also have not much respects for Nutritionists as there expert opinion about food and what people need is very different than the advise I get from Dr. Leung, however, don't get me wrong, I think Dr. Leung is right for sure - we really don't need much food as we have enough fat to recycle, those are his words, ha,ha. He does not belive in protein shakes and other stuff people come up with and I totally agree. Anyhow, it is always hard and difficult as right now it is also the season when people want to eat more.......... cheers, Gerdi

I have a question - I am quite frustrated as the weight loss has not gone as fast as I would have hoped for. I was banded in November 2007 by Dr. Leung and only lost 50 pounds so far, and yes, I have been bad and I admit it. But I really need to lose 50 more pounds and am totally motivated again. My husband was banded too in July 2007 and he has lost 110 pounds and is close to his goal. However, we think that I can eat way more than he can - so I think I need to go for another fill, as I only had 3 and the last time I had one (5 months ago) Dr. Leung told me that this was the tightest he could go but I doubt that now. I need to have it tighter so that I will eat less. I am just dreading it to go back to him to get a fill as I know he will give me s....... that I have not lost more than 50 pounds in almost a year. I guess I will have to get over this, as I really want to lose more and need to lose more. Well, I did make an appointment - so I will get the speech with only eating 3 half tea cups a day........... I know - I know...........but it is hard. Did anybody out there experience the same trouble? Thanks, Gerdi

I have been banded last year November 2007 and so far have lost 47 pounds. Not that great and for the last 3 months I have hit a serious plateau and don't seem to be able to lose a pound. I need to lose another 50 pounds and it does not go. I am in the gym every day for a workout and I have cut down eating, I stick with protein, and very little carb. I am not sure what to do anymore........ Help please......... I had 3 fills already and am at 10 cc so my doctor would not do another fill......:cool2: ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD REALLY HELP ME. Thanks.