als74

This might sound silly, but I am getting tired of people saying "hey skinny!" I know they are trying to compliment me on my weight loss, but HELLO! I started at 295 and am 10 lbs away from ONEderland, but am still 210. That is NOT skinny unless you are like 10 ft tall. I am getting tired of compliments. I don't take them well...I know, that sounds so selfish. But that is how I feel.

I was hoping to start a thread with those banded in December, since many of us are at the same stage. I know I am in Bandster Hell. Let's get a thread going to support and encourage each other through this time. Any takers?

I started at my heavest at 295 in December 2008 wearing 22, and still squeezing into some 20's. Now I am down to 218, some 20's are big, some just right, some 18 just right, some still too tight by a good couple inches. I know sizes differ, but I thought I would be in solid 18's going on 16's by now. So my question is, my boobs are shrinking, my legs, my feet, my face, but not my stomach. The 18's that don't fit are baggy on my legs, but can't button. And these are pants I used to wear! My question to those fitness people, do I need more stomach exercises? I care more about the clothes getting bigger than the scale getting smaller. Advice please!

I am sort of in the same place. I have been making poor food choices, overeating, and not exercising. I have lost 80 lbs since Dec and am 15lbs to onederland, but have been slowly gaining (about 3 lbs back now) and am freaking out. I have been out and about, and really trying to eat smaller amounts, but have found myself grazing. I would love to go get a fill, but I think my restriction is fine. I still have discomfort occationally, and am worried that if I get a fill, I will be too tight again. I really should do the pouch test, but I get so hungry lately that my stomach hurts. Granted, the hunger is 4-5 hours apart like it should be, but that is when I eat a good amount of food. When I eat less, I am hungry in much less time (1-3 hours). Should I try for another fill?

I have been battling with constipation since my surgery in Dec. Now I have bad hemmoroids, and bleed every time I have a bm. I have to see a proctologist. I drink miralax occationally, and it does help, but the damage is done. I hope you don't have to deal with the pain I do...it is very painful. I hate it. Buy hey, down 80 lbs, so I take the good with the bad.

I had my surgery Dec. 22, 2008 by Dr. Farhan and am very happy with the process and results. I would highly recommend him to anyone considering surgery in this area!

If you get a fill and feel tighter two weeks later, just wait it out, it will change. There are a couple reasons for this that my doc told me about. 1. There was Fluid in the tube that worked it way into your band from your last fill. 2. Emotional changes. Monthly flo, stress, etc., will change your restriction. See, I know I am due for a fill because I can eat anything, though in limited amounts, but had my monthly this week and still felt no restriction. For me, my sweet spot is restriction in the am, less in the pm, very little at night, and restriction during period time.

I started at my heavest at 295 in December 2008 wearing 22, and still squeezing into some 20's. Now I am down to 218, some 20's are big, some just right, some 18 just right, some still too tight by a good couple inches. I know sizes differ, but I thought I would be in solid 18's going on 16's by now. So my question is, my boobs are shrinking, my legs, my feet, my face, but not my stomach. The 18's that don't fit are baggy on my legs, but can't button. And these are pants I used to wear! My question to those fitness people, do I need more stomach exercises? I care more about the clothes getting bigger than the scale getting smaller. Advice please!

Although I didn't make my monthly goal, I still did great this month. The last week was riddled with birthdays, a funeral, and some bad food choices of some very tasty sliders. Even still, I lost 1 lb this week. New goal for next month, 8 lbs. Keep going everyone!!!! Rah Rah RAH!!!!!!

So this was a messy week for me. Lost 1 lb, which was a miracle. Over the weekend I was at in-laws and ate lots of foods and cake and stuff. I am ashamed. However, I went to yoga twice this week and the second class kicked my ASS! So thank you yoga for the -1 lb, as I know I have you to thank for it! Hoping to be in onederland by September...

Don't wait- you could do damage. One question, are you on your monthly flo? that will make you super tight after a fill, then unfill, and be loose again. Def call doc asap.

I have that issue sometimes when I am not drinking enough water. I also have the issue if i do not take my previcid every day. Are you on anything for reflux?

Remember not all calories are created equal. When I eat cheese too many days in a week as part of my cal count, I stop loosing. Some proteins have more fat then others...

The best way to describe it is this. You feel like you have a burp, or nautious, and slimey food comes up.

These are my thoughts. Should the mother be held accountable? Hell yes. Should she be put in jail? No way. She should be educated, her son should be put on a monitor, he clearly has a problem, and he should get help. My 13 year old step son moved in with us over a year ago wearing size 40 waist pants. With a balanced but by no means restricted diet (he still got McD's on occation) we got him down to a 34 waist. He looked great. He gained 8 lbs at his moms over spring break. 1 week, 8 lbs. A kid who loves to eat will overeat if not disciplined. Of all people, I know this. Once he is an adult, I can not control what he does, and I have no doubt he will gain again. But while his is living here, I am trying to teach him all the bad things that can happen, using me as an example. His craving for junk overrides anything I say to him, but I am trying. This mother needs some serious help! Her son should definately be taken away if she can not take care of him properly.

Well, that all depends on your current underware. If your undees are usually tight and binding, you might need some grannies. However, I already had some bigger underware (duh, cause I am bigger) so I didn't need anything bigger that what I had.

I am 7 mo out and used to burp a lot more and bigger for a few months after. Now my burps are smaller and often come with food (lol). You will learn to eat and swallow differently to trap less air.

I agree with what they said, and want to add something that I also heard, but it was second hand, so take it with a grain of salt. The longer we have our bands, the more used to our esophogus (I know I spelled that wrong) gets used to our small well chewed bites. I was told you have to be careful when you swallow bigger bites because it can stretch out the esophogus and cause pain (and also do bad things to your esophogus). Remember pre band when you accidentally took too big a swallow and felt pain on the way down? Well food goes down more slowly now, and is smaller, so if your bites are too big and not well chewed, this can also cause pain. Does this make sense? Has anyone else heard this?

Because the band lets us lose weight slowly, some skin bounces back. But I have always had big arms, and as I lose weight, I notice my upper(outside) arms are getting smaller, but fat and skin is just hanging down, especially by my elbow area. It it gross and throws of my weight loss look. Is there a cream or something I can use to tighten up those areas? I don't want big buff arms from working out either. Just tones arms. I know they will NEVER be small due to genetics, and I am ok with that. I just don't want arms looking fatter then they are due to all this dangling...

I was 217 last Tuesday, and haven't lost a lick since. I felt a plateau coming on, but didn't get a fill at doc last time. I am getting more hungry every day, and now I wish I had gotton that fill... It is hard to control portions when 1 1/2 cups of food per setting doesn't last more than 2 hours! I am broke and running out of protein. Everything left in my cupboard is starch. No protein shakes, not even milk to make my own. I hate this part:(