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Wow, almost 5 pounds in 1 week! Good for you JMEGIRL!. Deb, please put me down for -.5 this week. Mary

Hi Cristy, I expected some pain with the first fill - the needle is a bit intimidating. BUT - it really hardly hurts at all. Honestly. I had a fill each month for 4 months after surgery. It was the 4th one that did the trick. Everyone is different, and I kept asking myself (and others) "How will I know when I have good restriction?". They all said "You'll know". And they were right. I was frustrated because I really felt like I could eat almost as much as ever, but in fact I wasn't. It wasn't until this last fill that I really feel a bit of a "slap" when I gobble things too quickly. It keeps me full for a good 3 -4 hours after I eat one to one-and-a-half cups of food. I have been losing weight slowly but steadily. I am happy with that because it took me 56 years to get to my pre-surgery weight and its going to take awhile to get to a healthy weight. I was banded on Oct. 24 and I am 1 pound short of a 40 pound weight loss. By the way, slower weight loss generally results in less loose skin - so be patient! The lap-band has been the best tool I have ever had to help me eat better. Best of luck to you! Mary

Hello Deb, What devastating news! My father was diagnosed with Lung cancer when he was only 53 years old. It was self-contained in one lung,which they removed. He lived to be 77 years old and died of a stroke. He survived lung cancer and I hope your Mom can too. Best of luck to you and your family. Mary

Please put me down for -1 this week. I was going for 2 pounds a week :-( No excuses - I just sat around TOO MUCH this weekend! Thanks, Mary

Hi Bella, I am down 2 pounds as of Monday the 13th. I had been kinda stuck for a couple of weeks, so this challenge has got me motivated again. Mary

Tuesday May 5 works for me. I live near Brighton, and chickened out about making the drive. I look forward to meeting fellow bandsters! Mary

Remember that your band is a tool, and it is telling you something. It is an ally in your weight loss struggle. If you occassionally feel pain, is it because you took too big a bite, or because that particular food no longer agrees with you? Sometimes I feel like my band is "scolding" me - but I have a lifetime of bad habits, and the not-so gentle reminder I get is necessary. 30 pounds is nothing to sneeze at. Visualize 30 pounds of butter - that's what you have lost. I get frustrated sometimes because my weight loss is slow. BUT - I am also changing. I know I must do that to be successful in the long run. Good luck!

Julile Ann, I had my surgery with Dr. K. on Nov. 24 2008. After seeing your posting on the LabBandTalk site, I came to your blog to find "the secret" to your success. I was working my way backwards from your most recent post and found this letter. It really hit me too. Somehow, I keep looking for a magic solution; I keep looking for the "secret" to succes. In fact (like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz), the power has been with me all along! The band isn't the magic wand, but rather it is a tool - just as Dr. K. said it is. My job is to work WITH it and not expect it to work all by itself. I have to keep in mind that every time I put something in my mouth, I am making a choice. So why would I try to work around the tool that Dr. K. put in place? (And I paid so dearly for). Like you, I have to condition myself to live with my new, unhungry self. This is so new to me. Thanks for sharing so much on your blog - you are helping others with the struggle of our lives! Mary

Hi Julie.Ann, The same thing happened to me. I went in for my 3rd fill and nothing for three weeks - then WOW! It's been four seeks since then, and I definitely feel the restriction. I just really need to quit the late night munchies, so I am really pleased to be in this challenge. I need some acocuntability! Mary

I'm in! I need some motivation and this is a great idea. Put me down for 14 pounds. Mary

THANKS! I'll be coming south on I-25 from Arvada. But I get off work at 5 and shouldn't have any trouble getting there by 7. I am so excited to meet some other people who share this experience!

Hi - I'd love to join everyone at the Red Robin on Wednesday. Which one is it? I work near the one in Arvada - but I think the one you are meeting in is in the South Denver area? I can be there at 7, no problem Mary

Sounds great. Which Red Robin? Mary

Which Rockbottom Brewery location on April 7? I had surgery with Dr. K. on Nov. 24, 2008 and am losing SLOWLY...but steadily. I'd love a chance to meet with some Denver area bandsters! Can I join you? Mary

I had LB surgery on Nov. 24. Just this last week I had a terrible bout of constipation - painful! I've never experienced anything like this before and I REALLY don't want to experience it again. I have been trying to get a lot of Water down, but it is a challenge when we aren't supposed to drink for about 3 hours before/during/after a meal. I love veggies, and think I get plenty of Fiber. So what gives? Any suggestions or tips you can give me?

The pain that I have is from straining to eliminate. I don't want to be too graphic here, but my stool is like clay and just seems to compact in my rectum. So my pain is not up high at all. I have started using the Miralax, which has helped tremendously. I tried another, natural brand of stool softener and was in trouble the next day. I love veggies and eat whole grains too - so I think I'm getting as much fiber as I can without sacrificing Protein. I had my surgery with Dr. K. as well. What a terrific guy.

Very best wishes to you skinnyminney! I had it done on Nov. 24 and it really wasn't too bad at all. Do follow the diet your Dr. gives you, and be patient. This is a tool that will make a huge difference, but you may still have to address some of the head-hunger that we all have. I just had my 3rd fill yesterday (by the way, the fills don't hurt at all), and I feel like I am there. I couldn't eat an entire healthy choice frozen meal for lunch because I got full! I lost about 24 pounds leading up to this third fill, which I think is about right. Do drink the fluids to avoid constipation. Good luck, and I'll look for your posts!

The only time I have ever had kidney stones was on Atkins. I had done Atkins in the late '70's and lost 45 pounds. When I went on it about 18 months ago, I developed kidney stones. So I agree with you PMCFarm - check with your doctor about kidney strain! Good luck

Many thanks to my fellow Bandsters! I appreciate the good advice about the amount of time between eating and drinking, as well as fiber recommendations. I'll stop by Walgreens on my way home. By-the-way Ms. Sue Magoo...may I just say WOW!!!!! 146 pounds off and only 8 to go. I'd love to see your before and after photos. Congratulations on your hard work!

Right now, I have 4 cc's in a 14cc band. There isn't anything that I can't eat... I have noticed that if I take too big a bite of any kind of meat, that I can feel it going all the way down very slowly. Breads, Cookies, Pasta and rice haven't caused me any problems at all. The band definitely helps me feel full on less food, and stay full longer. But I wish I had more restriction when it comes to Snacks. I wouldn't be in this position if I had good will power, right? Any suggestions?

Karen - Thanks for the dose of reality! Congratulations on such great weight loss in a few short months! I got my first fill yesterday afternoon and am still getting used to it. I find that mushie foods don't stay with me very long. I also am realizing that the band isn't a magic wand. I still have to work on my poor eating choices and slowing it down. I got the okay to start excercising. I joined Curves before the surgery and am looking forward to getting serious about it. What kind of excercise are you doing Karen? Does it get easier with weight loss? I too started at 265 and am down 14 pounds.

Hi all, I had my surgery with Dr. Kirshenbaum on Nov. 24. I had no complications, and found the surgical center he uses to be very professional. Dr. K. is a very nice man who seems to genuinely care about us. I saw him yesterday for my first fill and it was really quite painless. As a surgeon, I think he's great. His price is $9,950 and includes fills for the first three months after surgery. I really like his staff too. If his practice falls short, I would say it is in the area of psychological support. He has a Ph.D. counselor who conducts one support group a month. Anyway, I have no qualms recommending him for the surgery.:thumbup:

My Doc told me I should add meat, bread, salad, etc at my own discretion after the first week of liquids. So I am eating well-rounded foods without any problems. Even thought I am not yet restricted, I definitely get full much quicker. About 1 to 1and a half cups of food fills me up. I stay full for a good 4 hours. I so knoW that I have GOT to slow down and take smaller bites. It bothers me to swallow without a restriction - so I can only imagine. After my first fill, I expect to eat less and have the same effect - but I've got to slow down. As far as vitamins go - I found that Centrum Silver makes a chewable vitamin that is complex, so that's what I'm taking. I belong to Curves, and hope my Doc will clear me to go back when I see him for my first fill on Monday. I am anxious about how that will go and am thinking positive.

I started feeling hunger during week two. I talked to my Doc who said I could add soft foods such as cottage cheese and eggs. I never knew a poached egg could taste so good! From what I have read from the postings of others, once you get that "sweet spot" with your fills, you will eat small meals about three times a day and stay full for hours. In between, many use some kind of protein shake to stave off hunger and get the nutrition they need. My Doc warned me that without the protein shakes, my hair may fall out and I will not have enough energy. I feel very positive about all this, but also know that I have to make MAJOR changes in my eating and excercise habits to have long term success. It is a journey. I'm so happy to have this forum to talk with my fellow bandmates about this...