jms462001

You will probably be "ready" for a fill long before the 6 weeks is up. You will get more and more hungry, but don't worry about it as now is time for healing and you will have lots of time for losing once you start getting fills. Follow your prescribed diet and don't let yourself get too hungry!

That's amazing. Keep up the good work.

I am stuck as well, but motivated now to lose 10 more pounds before summer as it will soon be hot here and that means thinner clothes!! I cannot believe I wear a size 6 0r 8 jeans and a med shirt and still feel fat! I never wore less than a size 12 in my life. I know I mostly could use a full body lift which I probably will never get, but I also still need to lose another 10 pounds. I am convinced the sizing these days is all vanity! I'm not complaining though. I am very proud and happy about the way I look now and I feel 100% better!

Yeah, I even understood what you were saying! I just knew there would be many people who might be thinking they should be able to eat plain white meat chicken and it really is a food so many cannot eat without some sort of sauce. It is a good test. I have little restriction now, but still cannot eat leftover chicken or turkey of any sort! luvmy2dogs, it very well may be partly because you have lost so much weight and are near your ideal weight that you cannot get good restriction. I could easily have a fill and probably would get more restriction, but I do find that since I got so close to my ideal weight I can eat nearly everything and my appetite is very good. I have not had much trouble maintaining so I have not worried about not having much restriction.

I still cannot eat plain white chicken meat without "lube" and have not come across many people at support meetings who can. I know it's not because my band is too tight because I have always kept it rather loose by preference. I am surprised you and your Dr. feel everyone should be able to eat plain white chicken meat easily even over a 20 min period.

Wow! 30 pounds by July! I admire you. I just decided this week I'd like to lose 10 more pounds and do it by summer. And, I was thinking 1 pound at a time will be challenging for me at this point!! Good luck to you. If anyone can do it, you can. You lost sooooo fast before your problems.

I'm sorry DD for your loss and hope you are doing better. You will start losing again. You had an amazing loss already so you are not going to have a problem continuing if that's what you wish. Princess, I hope you got to take that trip and have a new perspective on life now. I have gone through the divorce thing after 24 yrs and it's tough, but much good comes out of it too. You will be surprised so get your weightloss on track so you are ready for the new exciting things awaiting you in your life!!

That's wonderful! And you didn't think you could do it! I've had discomfort in my port area. I can't do crunches because it hurts to do so. It actually only bothers me when I make that type of movement and got real bothersome after doing some awhile back. I just hope nothing is wrong with it. I can really feel it now that there is not much fat over it and it feels lg!!

I just happened upon this somewhat testy thread a month late. I have not had a soda since surgery, but do drink coffee every day usually in the form of a latte with a scoop of Protein added. I was told it was not recommended early on because as the previous poster said it increases appetite in some (not so with me either), it can cause us to retain Fluid and also we may not drink all the Water we should. I don't think it is thought to cause damage to the band in any way. It has not had any ill effects on my weightloss and I have been drinking it from the beginning. I did not know we should not drink beer or maybe I did and forgot. I am not a drinker of alcohol normally anyway, but did have a few bottles while on vacation a couple weeks ago. I assume it is due to the similar to soda type carbonation issue? If it could cause band issues I will probably not indulge in the future! I must say that I eat most anything I want and never gain weight anymore. I was just thinking about it today..how wonderful it is and how I once envied people who seemed to be able to eat anything and never gain weight. I now realize in most cases it was because overall they did not eat a lot and they ate smaller portions. I do naturally eat healthy, but do not hesitate to have a dessert, slice of pizza, candy, or anything else one might consider off limits, on occasion.

I have taken 3 trips to Africa since this post. I carry the kit with me every time and thankfully have not had a need for it. I would NOT use it myself. I would go to a Dr or hospital there. The problem is that they would not have a clue about a lapband and they would not have the correct needle, hence the need for me to take my own. My Dr. told me to tell them to access it like a mediport. I'm sure he would not want me to do it myself unless I was dying and he does encourage me to get an unfill each time I go, but I don't want to go through the trouble of getting back to where I need to be and more importantly, I am self pay and cannot afford the cost of an unfill and then a couple fills. This is a funny thread and it seems it will never die. Seriously, I do believe there are some people who do attempt their own fills, but these are very few I'm sure!!!!

Yes we can do it!!!!!!!! And we won't let anyone tell us different!! Anyone had comments made to you like "did you know that some people gain back all their weight after losing it with the lapband?" or "you are getting too thin. It can't be healthy"!!!!!!! Are you kidding me??? Do I hear jealousy because I don't think I hear concern.

Shelley, I was not actually directing the post at you!! Sorry.

Until you can get your fill to the proper level with a slight unfill, you can make fresh fruit smoothies with all kinds of berries, pineapple, bananas, and yogurt with ice in a good blender and even add Protein powder. I even throw raw spinach in mine. I also eat Beans a lot which go down really easy and Peanut Butter which are both ok sources of protein. I love spicy barbecue black beans and I often make up a pot of assorted barbecue beans in a nice flavored sauce. They go down so easy.

Don't even listen to that damn orthopedic Dr. That makes me mad. And maybe you should start seeking a new one. It was my orthopedic surgeon (for my knees) who suggested the lapband. I need knee replacement surgery, but he will not do it because I am too young and he said he would refuse to do it in any case at that time because of my weight it would be a failed surgery. He said I was headed for a wheelchair. I also need spinal surgery and a year and a half ago I spent most of my days in bed and could barely walk. I was always in pain when up and every step was unbearable. I took the maximum number of pain pills I was allowed every day. All of that has changed now. I am able to go shopping again, I went to Niagara Falls in August, and I cannot walk in any marathons, but compared to where I was, it's like a miracle. I found with every 10 pounds I saw improvement. And just with this last 5 pounds I lost in the past month I see more improvement. I now never take more than 1 or 2 pain pills a day and some days do not need any. My knees NEVER cause me pain. My only pain now is the sciatica I still get down the back of my legs and in my lower back after being on the go for a long period. Please do not be discouraged by that Dr. You will see lots of improvement as you lose more weight!!! And, you can do it. I was so very motivated because my life was over when I started. You can get motivated too!

Hi, I'm sorry also to hear you are having a tough time. It really does sound like you are trying to do this with a too tight band which never seems to work for people because as you said you turn to slider foods and do not lose weight. I would suggest having slight unfills untill you reach the point where you can eat like a bandster should without PB'ing so easily. I never could get my band past 5.6 cc's and be able to eat without that problem. I do hope you get it worked out so you are not so miserable with the band and it works better for you!!

Just a suggestion, but if you changed your goal to 148 you probably can make it in one year and still be close to normal BMI. You could then continue from there. Perhaps it's just me, but mentally being able to reach a goal in a year was important!! You are doing great because many people do not see any loss in the firt month following surgery and some gain!

After a year, I finally found a wonderful tasting chewable calcium citrate supplement. It's called lemon cream calcel citrate. It tastes like lemon cake or cake batter. I think it's yummy and I have hated every calcium I have tried and have given away many bottles. It's pricey, but worth it. You can google it or go to getcalcet.com My Dr. said absolutely no calcium carbonate.

Good for you! I started way too soon and wish I had all the money I wasted! I bought new jeans at size 16, 14, 12, 11, 10 and now I'm a size 6 or 8! Go to the thrift stores or hunt ebay for bargains. You may even come across some of my giveaways!!

What did you find out? Hope you are feeling better now.

The only plateau I had during my weight loss happened when I was not consuming enough calories. I upped my daily intake and my weight loss immediately started again. This was suggested by my nutritionist at the time and he was right!

Don't despair. It takes many people 5, 6 or more fills to reach true restriction. You are early in your weight loss journey. You will get there. Just be patient!

I don't understand how you could have gotten to 8cc's with just 2 fills. Those would have each been very large fills to get at one time!!

You definitely need a fill!!! Then it will get much better and easier. Good luck to you.

Getting stuck continuously and bringing up food is not good for your band...or you! If it doesn't loosen up in a couple weeks you should just go through the hassle of having a small amt removed rather than risk doing any damage. Sometimes early on after a fill, we will get stuck more easily, but this should lessen as time goes on. Anytime we have a bad stuck episode and PB, it's important to stick with liquids for up to 24 hours to let any swelling that occurred subside.

Dry chicken and will get stuck. My pills never get stuck. Perhaps because I swallow them with lots of water?