xavier

I know when I hit a plateau at about 60% lost I thought well maybe this is it and I felt lucky to have lost that much and never gained through the whole thing! But a fellow bander said, "Why not try a little fill?" and then the weight started going down! (about five pounds a month was my usual) I hit another plateau at around 155 pounds and my normal BMI was 145 so I got a very tiny fill and lost about 15 pounds in 4 or 5 months. I have plateaued again at about 140 and I am sooooo happy! I almost didnt dare to dream of living very comfortably in the normal range but here I am! Great blog!

Let us know how you are doing...

CBreeden, Hang in there and be nice to yourself...these first few months untill you get enough fill for your band to be working its mojo for you are THE WORST! All you can really do is be patient and good to yourself and try not to gain! You'll be laughing about this later!

There is really no way for him to know that. You may be close to the right place but if you dont feel more satisfied and some restriction...you just need more fill! I mean, if this was about diet and exercise and we could do that successfully, why would we let a doc lasso our stomachs?

I'm with B-52! Life is great and I love my band! I havent really perceived most of the posts here on this site as negative but then I just skim through them because I have been successful. Those negative posts probably stayed in my mind and weighed heavier on me when I was newer and still figuring this whole thing out and also a bit afraid to fail... That being said I try to limit negativity and negative people in my life in general...good luck to all! I agree this is a heck of a lot easier than dieting! (much less of those bad voices in my head!)

I still love and enjoy really good food. The difference is that eat such tiny portions I now refuse to eat anything that isnt exactly what I want and totally delicious! The exception is I do drink a protein shake in the morning because I am too tight for real food. Otherwise I eat tiny portions of really good food!

Liquid vs solid has no medical difference for you...just lose some weight before the procedure to make it easier for your surgeon and your recovery easier. My doc asked me to try to lose 10 preop pounds...I think I lost 8.

Mind if I ask why the B12? If you are otherwise healthy and taking in good nutrition...?

No criticism from me! This whole thing has been a crazy learning process and I am pretty sure we have all done lots of so-called bad things!I have done some things related to eating that I am not proud of and it has been a very long process to get the best use out of this band. Maybe some people just dont want to admit it or maybe (!?) some people are actually perfect! Not me. I wish you well and am sorry that it hasnt worked out for you but I doubt it is your fault!!! [quote name='thall04' timestamp='1321507320' post='1686497'] I don't know about anyone else, but I can feel every single thing that I eat, and I can tell when it goes down into my lower stomach. And I'm really not sure how I figured this out, but I figured out how to push my food down by twisting my body in certain ways and "expanding" my stomach. Please don't criticize me for this!!! I know it's my fault. Hahaha! I just did it to get out of pain. You think I would have learned after so many times.

Good to know! I might give them a try...I like the Premiers from Cosco but its easy to get tired of anything! How many grams of protein are in them?

Congrats!!! its the beginning of a lifelong adventure!

Bra-wise I have never noticed a difference but I cant seem to get my food to go down if I cross my arms (kind of under the boobs). Its funny because I will be sitting on the couch kind of slumped down after a meal and I feel kind of miserable and then I realize its the weight of my arms over my band! Weird! Well it seems like some of these crazy symptoms might help us lose weight, right? I have heard that French women tie a ribbon around their waist under their clothes when they go out to eat to make them aware of getting over full. If I wanted to lose more weight I might try those hi-waisted Spanx if I was going out to dinner! Generally me and the Spanx are officially divorced!

Flintstones chewable but I believe it is about a hundred times more valuable to get nutrition from food and the band really doesnt affect that...our choices do!

I ended up going to a different doc for fills that was closer to home. She fills you at the same time as you are drinking water and when you are bout to spew she pulls back a little and you're done. I have had two from her that both put me at perfect restriction...good luck!

Ask for as much as they will give you as long as you can still drink some water! This is a tough time getting enough fill to have your band working for you! I promise in a year you'll be laughing about all these things!!!

As i lost weight I definitely got some wrinkles on my face and in some other weird places...I think they are well-earned and I know I look better!

Yes, please let us know if you are feeling a little better!

I still dont think you should blame yourself..we are all just trying to figure out what works for us! But what do you mean about trying to push food down when stuck?

I don't understand why so many people here have gotten unfilled (and then gained or plateaued) when they have had symptoms of reflux? Why not take a medication (I take Protonix) to reduce the acid and keep on losing to a healthy weight? Maybe some tried that and it didnt solve the problem but I am just trying to understand why wouldnt the doc just treat the reflux as you would in any other person? I would love to hear from anyone with an opinion on this...thanks!

I think an average of five pounds a month is perfect. That is about how mine has gone with a few long plateaus where i was too lazy to drive down to LA (4-5 hours) to get a fill. This so-called slow loss makes me 100% sure that I will never gain any of it back. Its just a lifestyle now.I know the changes the band helped me make are forever...

Well I dont know then but I will say my GERD symptoms are totally different now that I have good restriction than before I was ever banded...I will wake up sometimes choking on acid and with a pain like a knife...weird how surgery can change thigs. Thyroid is a good idea though.

Thanks stateof zen...you are an inspiration to all...you are really doing it! You deserve that glass of wine!