luvzlulu

I'm having the same problem too. I've been banded for a year and have lost a good amount of weight, but plateaued, so I decided to get another fill about 2 weeks ago. It's strange because I originally had 7cc's in a 10cc band. Then when the doctor removed the liquid, he said I only had 6.5cc's and proceeded to give me another .5cc to bring me to 7cc's... What happened to the other .5cc? Is it possible that he could have just not drawn it all out of the band, before he added the rest, and now I have 7.5cc's? Either way, I'm in the same boat as you, and I couldn't take down anything thicker than Water the first few days, and at times, even the water was coming up (and still is, but only sometimes). It's been a rough two weeks, and my surgeon is notoriously hard to book appointments with. I gave it some time to let it pass and went on liquids (even Protein shakes are hard to get down), but two weeks later and I'm still having serious trouble getting anything solid down, unless I take some liquids with it. Am I doing something wrong or am I too tight? The problem that I have seems to be a lot of slime, to where sometimes I can't even get down water... but it's hit or miss, as sometimes, I can eat mushy foods (mostly really soft fish and really soft steamed veggies) if I take it with liquid. Otherwise, I can't get it down due to the amount of slime and then you know what happens next. When do you ask for an unfill? And should I just wait it out longer??

Ok... I'm a little stressed out, so I'm posting here to gather thoughts and maybe a little motivation. I was banded 8/20/08 and my weight loss process has been SLOW at best. I admit that I didn't do a lot of research into the surgery and when I had the surgery, I was preoccupied with a huge family crisis (child with brain cancer) and didn't spend a lot of time to focus on myself. I'm down about 60lbs, but I keep fluctuating, gaining, losing, until I finally hit another plateau... In comparison to others on this board, it doesn't seem like much! I feel like a total underachiever! My life is very stressful (chaotic is a better word) with a full time job, and school at night, plus a home life that sometimes, and especially now (also going through a messy breakup) and I feel like I've lost my support system. Every time I look at myself, I feel like I should have done more and what I've done isn't good enough. Maybe I'm having strange body issues? Everyone close to me always tells me how great I look, but I just don't feel it. I don't want to go down like this... so what do I do next? The pros of surgery is that I am a lot more physically active- I ran a 5k a few weeks ago, I now go on daily hour long walks and bike rides with my dogs, and I am now looking for an "activity" buddy that will want to go hiking with me. It's been a great change of pace! Also, I've been making healthier eating choices, and for ethical reasons, went vegetarian a few months ago... which was a hard decision to make, but I did so proudly. I was having some trouble getting in the right amount of Protein, so I recently started eating fish again and I still drink whey Protein shakes and eat eggs, cheese, etc. I do eat a lot of Beans, tofu, and oatmeal. Isn your opinion, is this detrimental to weight loss for a lap band patient? The icing on the cake is that I feel a lot of pressure from my surgeon, to the point that I get anxious whenever I go to see him, feeling like I have lost an unacceptable amount of weight. I know I shouldn't feel this way, but I do, and since I had my 3rd fill in November, I have avoided going back to see him like the plague. My restriction is still good. I believe he put me up to 8cc's (or maybe 6) last time I saw him. I'd really love to hear your honest thoughts, because right now, I'm having a really hard time seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, especially with my 1 year bandiversary being right around the corner!!

Hi Amy! I just wanted to send you a note to show my support. Everyone is different-- I know you've heard that a million times. I haven't lost as much weight as I thought I would have. I was banded 8/20/08 and at first and have had 3 fills and have lost about 50lbs, gained some back, and now I'm losing again. It just wasn't what I expected (it was a lot more work). The truth is that I was majorly preoccupied with my 4-year-old niece being diagnosed with brain cancer the month before, that I didn't really follow my plan. Now I am fully committed to changing my body and to my own personal journey. Just know that you are not alone, and although some may have great progress- just think of all that you have done. You went ahead and did it!!! That in itself is a huge accomplishment that you made the decision to have the surgery. Hang in there! You just have to find your way and you will do great!

Congratulations on your weight loss so far!!! You've done an amazing job, and you'll hit your next goal in no time at the rate you're going. I've been researching weight training for women to add to my gym routine. There's a really good book called The New Rules of Lifting (there's a version for men and another for women) that you might want to think about checking out. Here's a link to it on Amazon... I haven't read the version for men, but I joined an exercise forum, and the guys speak pretty highly of it. [ame=http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Maximum-Muscle/dp/1583332383]Amazon.com: New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle: Lou Schuler, Alwyn Cosgrove: Books[/ame] Good luck!

I finally broke my several week long plateau! I will eventually break down and splurge on the Wii Fit for the scale(it's supposed to have the most accurate scale on the market, and check your BMI and fitness age-- not to mention, it's fun!!), but according to my $7 Taylor non-digital scale, I've lost 5lbs since I last weighed myself two weeks ago. I know it doesn't seem like much, but it feels great to know that I'm doing this the right way! I've been fluctuating a lot and having some ups and downs since I last saw the doc. My last fill was in November '08, which put me up to 8cc's in the 10cc band. I'm starting to get used to it now, and food isn't getting "stuck" as much. It leads me to believe that I'm losing restriction in the band and need to get another fill. I have an appointment to see my surgeon next month for a check up. I get a little anxious every time I see my surgeon, and I don't feel like I've lost enough weight. I know it's just a mental thing and I need to get over it, and remember that I'm doing this for myself. I'm glad that I'm finally getting into a routine that works for me. I'm getting in plenty of exercise now-- I'm hitting the gym 3 times a week, getting in some outdoor activity, and going to yoga on the weekends. I feel like a different person. What I really want to do is look into joining a sports team, or find a running/biking buddy, or just joining SOMETHING where I do FUN activities with others, so I'll get out and do them more often. I'm thinking about joining a Nia class or signing up for the upcoming Houston Aids Walkathon. I'm practically living off of protein shakes and salads now. I really enjoy my trips to the local farmers market. It's all part of my plan to eat healthy, minimally processed, "clean" foods. I am eating whole foods, lots of vegetables, and cooking all of my meals from scratch to avoid preservatives and excess salt/sugar. Eventually, I'd like to stop supplementing with protein shakes, but for now, I feel like I need the added boost they give me. I went from barely eating anything because it was uncomfortable, to eating 5 small meals a day to help fuel my metabolism. I think that my plateau was due to the fact that I wasn't eating enough good calories. I've been reading a lot about the science behind weight loss, and now I'm feeling on track. Also, I've been reading a book by author Michael Pollan entitled "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" that has really changed my perspective on what I put into my body. Here's an excerpt from the book for a little insight into what it's really about: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. That, more or less, is the short answer to the supposedly incredibly complicated and confusing question of what we humans should eat in order to be maximally healthy. We are entering a postindustrial era of food; for the first time in a generation it is possible to leave behind the Western diet without having also to leave behind civilization. And the more eaters who vote with their forks for a different kind of food, the more commonplace and accessible such food will become. This is an eater’s manifesto, an invitation to join the movement that is renovating our food system in the name of health—health in the very broadest sense of that word.” Pretty good read, in my opinion. Some people call him a "stealth vegetarian". I don't necessarily agree, but then again, I've always loved eating my veggies so maybe I just don't see it. Just pick it up, and give it a read, decide for yourself... He also wrote another book called the Omnivore's Dilemma, which I haven't read yet, but is supposed to be very good.

I finally broke my several week long plateau! I will eventually break down and splurge on the Wii Fit for the scale(it's supposed to have the most accurate scale on the market, and check your BMI and fitness age-- not to mention, it's fun!!), but according to my $7 Taylor non-digital scale, I've lost 5lbs since I last weighed myself two weeks ago. I know it doesn't seem like much, but it feels great to know that I'm doing this the right way! I've been fluctuating a lot and having some ups and downs since I last saw the doc. My last fill was in November '08, which put me up to 8cc's in the 10cc band. I'm starting to get used to it now, and food isn't getting "stuck" as much. It leads me to believe that I'm losing restriction in the band and need to get another fill. I have an appointment to see my surgeon next month for a check up. I get a little anxious every time I see my surgeon, and I don't feel like I've lost enough weight. I know it's just a mental thing and I need to get over it, and remember that I'm doing this for myself. I'm glad that I'm finally getting into a routine that works for me. I'm getting in plenty of exercise now-- I'm hitting the gym 3 times a week, getting in some outdoor activity, and going to yoga on the weekends. I feel like a different person. What I really want to do is look into joining a sports team, or find a running/biking buddy, or just joining SOMETHING where I do FUN activities with others, so I'll get out and do them more often. I'm thinking about joining a Nia class or signing up for the upcoming Houston Aids Walkathon. I'm practically living off of protein shakes and salads now. I really enjoy my trips to the local farmers market. It's all part of my plan to eat healthy, minimally processed, "clean" foods. I am eating whole foods, lots of vegetables, and cooking all of my meals from scratch to avoid preservatives and excess salt/sugar. Eventually, I'd like to stop supplementing with protein shakes, but for now, I feel like I need the added boost they give me. I went from barely eating anything because it was uncomfortable, to eating 5 small meals a day to help fuel my metabolism. I think that my plateau was due to the fact that I wasn't eating enough good calories. I've been reading a lot about the science behind weight loss, and now I'm feeling on track. Also, I've been reading a book by author Michael Pollan entitled "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" that has really changed my perspective on what I put into my body. Here's an excerpt from the book for a little insight into what it's really about: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. That, more or less, is the short answer to the supposedly incredibly complicated and confusing question of what we humans should eat in order to be maximally healthy. We are entering a postindustrial era of food; for the first time in a generation it is possible to leave behind the Western diet without having also to leave behind civilization. And the more eaters who vote with their forks for a different kind of food, the more commonplace and accessible such food will become. This is an eater’s manifesto, an invitation to join the movement that is renovating our food system in the name of health—health in the very broadest sense of that word.” Pretty good read, in my opinion. :thumbup: Some people call him a "stealth vegetarian". I don't necessarily agree, but then again, I've always loved eating my veggies so maybe I just don't see it. Just pick it up, and give it a read, decide for yourself... He also wrote another book called the Omnivore's Dilemma, which I haven't read yet, but is supposed to be very good.

I love tilapia. I have a recipe that is always a winner, especially if you love garlic and flavor. First, season the tilapia with salt and pepper. Then, heat a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a pan. Sautee 6 cloves of crushed garlic until lightly brown (this infuses the oil with major flavor) and cook the tilapia, 3-5 minutes on each size. While the pan is still sizzling, add the juice of 1-2 lemons. The garlic becomes "blackened" but not not burned. The lemo juice helps deglaze and makes a nice "sauce".

Thank you for posting this. This is just the boost that I needed six months out.

It's been a while! I've missed the peace of mind this place gives me. So, let me start off by saying, Happy 2009! I know this year will be the best yet! December was an incredibly stressful month for me. I was taking a mini-session class (which takes an entire semester's worth of work and crams it into one month) AND still putting in close to 50 hours at work on top of that. Needless to say, it was stressful, along with the holidays, and I am grateful that I even made it through last month alive! I started yoga in December and oh my goodness, do I LOVE it! The things it's done for my body have been amazing. The added plus is the reduction of my stress levels. Not to mention, being able to do all of the poses while being in a class full of skinny people is a great ego boost! I'm still not tracking my weight on a scale. Old habits are hard to break. In fact, I still don't have a scale in my house... but I bought my first pair of size 14 jeans in years, last weekend. My old size 20's have gone to Good Will. Some days, I feel like I'm not doing enough. I know that I'm not. My doctor hit my "sweet spot" in November, so I have been losing steadily, but I know I could do more if I got more cardio in. I really love yoga, but I know I need to get moving more. I've been going to the gym, but it gets boring, and I'm easily de-motivated! I am looking for my next "athletic high" meaning, something fun, dynamic, that I'll really enjoy. I'm still searching for it. So, aside from being a bump on a log the month of December, I'm really trying to kick it into high gear now.

It's been a while! I've missed the peace of mind this place gives me. So, let me start off by saying, Happy 2009! I know this year will be the best yet! December was an incredibly stressful month for me. I was taking a mini-session class (which takes an entire semester's worth of work and crams it into one month) AND still putting in close to 50 hours at work on top of that. Needless to say, it was stressful, along with the holidays, and I am grateful that I even made it through last month alive! I started yoga in December and oh my goodness, do I LOVE it! The things it's done for my body have been amazing. The added plus is the reduction of my stress levels. Not to mention, being able to do all of the poses while being in a class full of skinny people is a great ego boost! I'm still not tracking my weight on a scale. Old habits are hard to break. In fact, I still don't have a scale in my house... but I bought my first pair of size 14 jeans in years, last weekend. My old size 20's have gone to Good Will. Some days, I feel like I'm not doing enough. I know that I'm not. My doctor hit my "sweet spot" in November, so I have been losing steadily, but I know I could do more if I got more cardio in. I really love yoga, but I know I need to get moving more. I've been going to the gym, but it gets boring, and I'm easily de-motivated! I am looking for my next "athletic high" meaning, something fun, dynamic, that I'll really enjoy. I'm still searching for it. So, aside from being a bump on a log the month of December, I'm really trying to kick it into high gear now.

My surgeon hasn't really told me much. In fact, I find the forums a lot more useful than advice from my surgeon... He really doesn't tell me much, but then again, it is also my fault for not being more informed. Where in Houston are you?

I have major problems with french fries... in fact, they seem to be one of the only things I have problems with, I think because you chew them up and it's kind of sticky. The last of my fried food hurdles!