MaggiesMom1999

I wish I were more sensitive. I have been told (not by my doctor, but through some online research) that my band can probably hold about 14cc's. The port tubing can hold some of the fluid. Right now, I can eat most anything in just about any amount. I get a little stuck now and then but as soon as it comes up, I can keep on eating. So some of recent maintenance is primarily due to will power, which is a VERY limited commodity for me. Leigh

Hello! I've been reading this thread from day one, but not posted in a long time. I have never been "too tight" and I'm at 11.5cc in a 10cc band. I know, I should think that's a good thing, but I am a worrier. I had good weight loss the first year and am down about 115 pounds total today. But I have been yo-yo-ing the same 5 or 10 pounds for months now. I still need to lose 40 pounds to be in the "normal" BMI range. I would be happy to get below 200 and stay there. My last fill was 1cc in November and I'm seriously thinking I may need another soon. This last week or two have been tough as far as head hunger goes and I have been snacking wayyyyyy too much. Just need a swift kick in the seat of the pants, I guess. Good luck to all! Leigh Alabama 320 / 296 / 205.5 / 160

Same deal here! And my periods are MUCH heavier, like they used to be when I was a teenager. I just thought it was my age (I'm now 47) and that I was probably entering peri-menopause or something. But maybe there's something about the weight loss causing some hormonal issues of some kind. Maybe??? Still, interesting...... Leigh Alabama

Yeah, exercise is where I fail. I try to walk a lot but not every day and not much of any other exercise. I know I would do even better if I could just commit to some regular exercise. Right now, I'm just excited I'm maintaining. That's something I've never done before no matter how much or how little I lost. And no meds is a great thing! Thanks for the encouragement. Leigh

I seem to be on the opposite end of the spectrum from most of you. I have some restriction but never seem to get to my "sweet spot". I have had six fills (seven if you count the 4cc he put in during the surgery) and am still not there. I have 11.5cc in a 10cc band. Last fill was 1cc on Friday the 13th and I thought it was the ONE but not so. Still can eat anything, including bread, and can eat quite a large amount at a time. I do get "stuck" every now and then but nothing extreme. I have lost 114 pounds but still need to lose another 30 or so. I have been at a standstill for a couple of months now and want to get things going again. I can be happy if I can just maintain but really want to lose more. Leigh Alabama

I have 10.5cc in a 10cc band. I, too, worry about what will happen "later". I am 15+ months out and have lost 115 pounds but still need to lose at least 30 more. But the big goal, of course, is to not GAIN anything back even if I never lose another pound. So far, still pretty good restriction, but what happens later? Leigh

Hi, All! July 1 was my one-year "bandiversary" and today was my check-up with the surgeon. Officially down 105.6 pounds!! I have not had a fill since November but she (nurse practitioner) gave me .5cc today bringing me to 10.5cc. This is the first time I can really feel the difference, even water is slow going down (but it is going down, thank goodness). I had lost 4.2 pounds in the last 8 weeks but have been "grazing" a lot and eating more than I should so I really felt I needed a tweak. Still need to lose at least 35 pounds (60 to get where the "charts" say I need to be) but I am very happy to say that my blood pressure today was 110/60 and I have not taken any bp meds in a year. I am also diabetic and have been off insulin for nearly a year. So I am good whether I lose another pound or not. Leigh

I also had 4cc's put in during surgery then 4cc's at my first fill (6 weeks). I then had 1cc, .5cc and .5cc for a total of 10cc's in my 10cc band. My last fill was in mid November and until the last month or so I have continued to lose weight. I have lost a total of 105 pounds since 6/21/08 so I'm happy, but I still need to lose another 40-50 pounds so I'm not so happy. My surgeon assured me that the band would actually hold more than 10cc's so not to worry, but of course I worry. My next appointment is 7/2/09 which is also my bandiversary and hope to get a "tweek" at that time to get me started losing again.

I had 4cc in during surgery, then 4cc, 1cc, .5cc and .5cc for a total of 10cc in a 10cc band. He did my last fill in November and verified the 9.5 before he added the new fill to make 10. I have, of course, SOME restriction but I can still basically eat anything and everything. I have lost nothing in about 5 weeks but I have another appointment in 10 days and will ask for a small fill. Hopefully, that will jump start things.

HI, all! I have a "burning" question: since last Friday I have been experiencing some mild reflux. I have not had a fill since November so it's not due to a recent fill. I have, however, been eating a lot of "junk", some sweets and such in larger quantities than normal. My calories total for the day have still been pretty much within range just the type of foods that are different. I have never really felt restricted although I PB quite a bit, usually just from "stuck" episodes. I have not had a PB in about a week, give or take a day, and that is also unusual. What do you think? I am worried that these symptoms might indicate a slip. Any thoughts? Thanks!

Good luck to you! I am from Robertsdale, Alabama, just "over the border" and I had my band in Mobile on July 1, 2008. I have lost 85 pounds so far, but I need to lose another 65. Do you know if they offer any support groups in Pensacola? It is just as close to go to P'cola as to Mobile for me and I really enjoy meeting and talking with other WLS folks. Again, good luck!

Doc put in 4cc during surgery, then 4cc at 6 weeks post-surgery, then 1cc the next month, then .5 the next month and then .5 the next month. He did not give me a fill at my monthly visit last week but I know I will need one next month. I can tell a difference but I really am not "restricted" yet.

Hi, I had surgery 7/1/08 and have had 4 fills (plus the 4cc he put in during surgery) and am now at 10cc in a 10cc band. I still am not restricted BUT I have lost about 78 pounds through portion control. I saw my surgeon yesterday for my 5th after-care visit and he said he wanted me to wait one more month because he "had me right about where you need to be". So I will go back on 1/22/09 and probably get a small fill. I don't exercise very much but I try to walk at least 15 min most every day and more if I can. Just hang in there. Leigh 320/296/242/170

9.5cc in a 10cc band and another fill in 2 days.

I have had 3 fills, plus the 4cc put in during surgery, and am now at 9.5cc in a 10cc band. First fill 4cc at 5 weeks post surgery, second fill 1cc 5 weeks later, then .5cc 5 weeks or so after that. I have my next appointment in 2 days and I will need another fill probably bringing me to 10cc. My doc keeps telling me that there is still plenty of room for additional fills and that smaller and smaller fills will make a big difference from here on out. I hope so.

I am at 9.5cc in a 10cc band and I go for my next fill this week. I anticipate a .5 fill and hit the 10cc mark this time. They keep reassuring me that there is still room beyond the recommended fill level so that I can still have adjustments later and that the need for fills gets smaller and smaller as you go, sometimes as little as .1cc can make a difference now. I will see what happens Thursday. Leigh

I was banded 7/01/08 (started pre-op liquids on 6/21 and lost 24 pounds as of day of surgery) and have lost a total of 72 pounds! I will go a week or two or three bouncing around the same 3 pounds and then it will finally stay off. Then the same thing over again. I really don't feel that I am "restricted" yet and I have had 3 fills plus the 4cc put in during surgery for a total fill of 9.5cc in a 10cc band. I go in next week for another fill. I HATE drinking Water and want my diet cokes back! I also have to force myself to get any exercise at all, mostly walking. So I am one of those people who needs a "hard stop" from the band ---I need it to forcefully control the quantity I eat and I'm not there yet. Leigh

Anyone have any good tricep exercises that will work for a beginner? My arms are really looking bad. Even my flab has flab! I need some suggestions on a good exercise and how many reps, what weights, etc. I also have a bad right shoulder so I have to be careful of that. Thanks for any suggestions. Leigh

I was banded 7/1/08 and have had 3 fills plus the 4cc's that he put in during surgery, for a total fill of 9.5cc's. I do not feel restriction. I have been losing very well up till now (nearly 70 pounds!). I am now at the point where most of my diets fail, I get bored and give up. My next appointment is 11/20 and, since I am so close to capacity (10cc's) I had thought to not have a fill this time. But I am eating everything in sight so that idea has gone out the window. I NEED a fill, desperately. I am also concerned for the long haul, two or three years, say I feel the need for another fill, will there be capacity for it? I went into this for a lifetime, I just hope it works that way for me. Leigh :thumbs_up:

I started my pre-op liquids on 6/21 and had surgery on 7/1. Beginning weight was 320, day of surgery 296. I currently weigh 250. I have had 3 fills, plus the original 4cc's put in during surgery, for a total of 9.5cc in a 10 band. I still do not feel that I have true restriction but I have been able to follow the rules well enough so far. From here on out will be the true test for me, I can usually stick with anything for 3 or 4 months then I fall off the wagon. I, too, feel like it has come off faster than predicted but I'm not complaining. :eek:

According to my experience, that was a "stuck" episode and most folks call the food sliding out a "PB" or "productive burp". That full feeling you are describing is food getting stuck trying to get into the pouch. This happens to me a good bit, because I don't chew well enough or take too big of a bite and I know I still eat too fast. Sometimes, even though I know I have chewed that bite of food to smithereens, it still happens. Never, ever, continue to eat past this feeling. You must immediately get rid of the "stuck", either up or down. I usually get it up and out but some people have told me that room temperature pineapple juice will help to dissolve the clump and help it go down. Once that is gone, you may continue to eat if you need to. Just my experience.

I'm at 9.5cc in a 10cc band and have the same issues as you describe. Most of the time I don't feel full for at least 30 minutes past finishing the "appropriate" portions. so during that 30 minutes, I am a walking time bomb --- wanting to eat everything in sight. So far I have held in pretty well but I worry about long term. I know how I am and I can usually stick to a diet for 3 or 4 months but then I fall of the wagon, big time. I have just hit the 4-month date. I have lost 65 pounds and I am very pleased with that. But I want it to stay off! I do not feel restriction. I still get hungry often. And I HATE drinking water. I have been drinking the "at least 64 ounces" every day and I HATE it. I want my diet Cokes back. Everyone keeps telling me that my band will hold a good bit more than 10cc, that 10 is just a "recommendation" but I don't feel happy that I am so close to the recommended "full" point and still don't have restriction. Thanks for listening to my venting.

I'm not from your area but there are several people from Ft. Worth area on the LapBandBuddies group at yahoo. You might try there, they have a lot of great info.

I am finding that I am eating more and more lately also. My surgery was 7/01 and I have lost 64 pounds, with which I am very pleased. I am also off all diabetic and blood pressure meds since surgery so am much healthier than I thought possible this soon. But.......I am now reaching the point where I always get bored and revert to bad habits and am having to fight harder each day to stick to the program. The last time I lost any weight, about 30 pounds in 2004, I lasted about 3-4 months and then the holidays came and I gained it all back plus a few. So I am concerned. :smile: I wish to luck and success with your efforts! :biggrin: Leigh

I just had my third fill on 10/16 and am now at 9.5cc in a 10cc band, which concerns me, because I still don't feel much restriction. I can eat most anything, although I do get "stuck" from time to time. But that is usually my own fault for eating too fast, too big of a bite and/or not chewing well enough. I have lost 64 pounds, though, since my 10-day liquid diet started on 6/21 for surgery on 7/01. So I'm not complaining too loudly. :biggrin: The situation just concerns me for the "long haul" and keeping the weight off long-term.