FailureIsntAnOption

I too am a fan of the skinny vanilla latte. I drink and still loose weight. Just include in your daily calorie intake. Banded 4/17/09

I also agree with enchanted. What you are going through is not right. My doc fills under fluroscopy while I drink the barium and water. If I were you I would find a new doc.

Big Papa, Since I ride all the time I may be of some help. Believe it or not you have to break your butt in. A new seat may or may not be the answer as with any seat you have to break in your butt. Once you have riden a few times it will get better. My hands go numb on long rides and I have to hold them one at a time of coarse, above my heart and they start to feel normal again. Try buying some gloves with padding or gel in the palms and fingers. I generally ride about 3 hours at a time. I absolutely love it! I've gone from panting to death to make it up a hill to challenging myself to ride it in the hardest gear. Please stick with it. If you get even 1/3 of the enjoyment from it that I do you will love it. I would also like to add that my husband who has been riding much longer then myself agrees with what I have told you. Banded 4/17/09

Hi Carlee, I had my band done in Mexicali Mexico in April. I was very very pleasantly surprised with the care I received and the hospital was very nice. I have returned there for two fills. I have Kaiser who has agreed to do my fills but what a hassle it turned out to be. I will continue to have my fills done in Mexicali. The fills are free and included in the surgical cost but the hospital still charges for the x-ray $60 to $70 depending on the exchange rate. All in all it has been a good experience. I don't think I will need another fill for quite a while. Banded 4/17/09 in Mexicali, MX by Dr. Alberto Aceves First fill in Mexicali 5/30/09 1.6cc Second fill in Mexicali 7/10/09 .6cc

Parrothead, I'm looking at my surgical paperwork at this very moment and it says I have a 10.0 cm (INAMED) maximum fill is 4.0cc After 2 fills I have a great deal of restriction.

The only time I seem to notice the scale go down is when I pause a day from exercising. Otherwise, it seems that I am loosing the inches and gaining lean muscle. Your description of your family watching and wondering while you eat is very familiar to me. I experience the exact same thing. I struggle to eat chicken, turkey and broccoli because they get stuck most of the time. I wouldn't worry too much about the scale if I were you. Just keep doing what you are suppose to do and the pounds will come off. Banded 4/17/09 First fill 5/30/09 1.6cc Second fill 7/10/09 .6cc

Hi Stacy, I had my band done in Mexicali Mexico in April. I too have a 10cc band but it is my understanding that my band will only old 4cc of saline. I currently have 2.28 cc filled. I have felt full a couple of times and it is very uncomfortable and you run the risk of stretching your pouch. You should only eat until you are satisfied not full. For most 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups of food is all you should eat. If you continue drinking with your meals you will eat more. The point of not drinking is so your food will sit in your pouch and make you feel satisfied. If you drink with food it washes the food down to your lower stomach where you wont feel satisfied. It is hard to get used to not drinking but it is necessary. There is very little I can actually eat at this point without PBing so I try to stick with what I know to be safe for me. I am totally unable to eat meat since my last fill last week. Let me know if there is anything else I can do to help. Banded 4/17/09 First fill 5/30/09 1.6 cc Second fill 7/10/09 .6 cc

I lost 25 pounds from date of surgery to 6 weeks post op when I got my first fill. I am now 3 months post op and have lost 54 pounds and have had 2 fills. Results vary depending upon many factors so as long as you loose 1-2 pounds per week you are right on track.

Brokenhalf, it sounds like you are doing great. I think I just may make myself a banana smoothie for dinner again tonight. It sounds cool and refreshing. Since I just ate a few bites of trail mix and feel like it is stuck, I think I'll just stick to smoothies. It's funny just how quick food looses it's importance once you have restriction.

My goal is to loose 160 pounds. I have set small goals along the way so that I don't get discouraged with all I have to loose. So far I have met my first goal of 50 pounds. Next goal is 75. How much do you plan to loose?

If you want to loose weight without the hard work then perhaps you should look into a different WLS procedure. The band is great but does take work.

If you are exercising an hour a day I'm sure you are still loosing. You are probably loosing inches rather than pounds since you most likely are gaining lean muscle. Try varying your calorie intake. If you normally eat 1000 calories then try 1200. Try going up or down two hundred calories each day. You need to trick your body.

I walked until 4 weeks post-op then joined the gym. As long as you are healed you should be fine.

That is way more than I got. My first fill was 1.6 cc. Second fill was .6 cc. I would imagine that with a 5 cc fill you will really feel restricted.

I started on soft foods a few days early because I just couldn't take the liquid phase any longer. I went to Juice It Up and had a protein smoothie. I enjoy making my own smoothies. Try adding a banana, a handfull of blueberries and vanilla whey protein to ice and blending. It is a nice low-calorie treat that wont hurt your band.

Sheavens, You need to change your lifestyle patterns. I stay busy until it is time for bed whereas I used to sit and watch tv until bedtime. Especially since it is summertime and it stays light out until 8:30 or so. I go directly to the gym when I get off work, then my husband and I take a bike ride, then we go swimming. Once I am finished with all this I go to bed. NO time to think about grazing. Good luck! You are experiencing "head hunger" not real hunger. After you get a significant fill this should subside. If nothing else works, go to bed and wait til morning to eat bfast.

DB, There really isn't any pain to speak of. More of a discomfort for a few days. It's totally worth it though.

Bthom, Congrats on your decision. I had my band done in Mexicali, Mexico. My cost was $7,000.00 and included lifetime fills. I've already been back to Mexicali for two fill. I was banded in April and I feel great. I've lost 54 pounds and ready to keep going. The more active you are the faster you will loose. Good luck to you.

Scott, I go through your area everytime I see my surgeon. I had my band done in Mexicali. My total cost including lifetime fill was $7000.00. No program fee for me.

Is it that you can't do the exercise? Or is it that you wont do the exercise? You have to put things into perspective. If you want to live a healthy, lean lifestyle it takes work for anybody. The band has helped me tremendously to eat much less. The rest is up to me and I am loving the new and improving me!

Looks like I'm the odd ball here......my port is dead center about 8 inches up from my belly button. No problems due to location of port. Banded 4/17/09 First fill 5/30/09 1.6 cc Second fill 7/10/09 .6 cc:cool2:

I went outside my insurance and self paid for my surgery. I had my appt. with the nutritionist my primary care physician referred me to approx 6 weeks after surgery. She asked me why I got the band and I told her that I needed help loosing weight and I chose the band because I didn't need to have my digestive system rearranged or rerouted and if there were a problem the band is reversible. She said it is not reversible and the average weight loss with the band is only 30 pounds. That really ticked me off. I've already lost 50 pounds and at that point in time had lost 39 pounds. It's just crazy how some of the medical professionals try to discourage us. I know I will reach my weight loss goal of 160 pounds. How dare she throw a monkey wrench into my commitment. By the way, I filed a grievance with my insurance provider for not covering my surgery in the first place. We'll see what happens with that.

SD2bskinny, My insurance company, Kaiser Permanente, did not due my lapband. I had mine done in Mexicali, MX so I was able to avoid all the hoop jumping. Kaiser has done my post-op care and has agreed to do my fills as well. Hope this helps. Best of luck with your journey.

I went to Mexicali, Mexico and self paid $7,000. No regrets here. I had great care in Mexico.

Please advise as to what it means to reach your sweet spot? How do you know when you have reached it?