Alicia521

You should be fine. I have had 3 fills and no pain with any of them. Good luck!

Hi Lbrown, Congrats on the 22 lb drop. That's great! The hunger will come due to not being restricted yet. I didn't get really good restriction until my 2nd fill. Just focus on healing right now. More weightloss will come once you get adjusted. It does help to make sure you get enough protein though. Eat quality protein and healthy food and it will help you stay full much longer. Good luck!

I'm in for the "I have a Dream" challenge. I think 15 is doable in about 8 weeks for me. I can't wait to find a cute ticker!

Myra – Good luck with your barium swallow. Keep us posted! I wish you the best. Marz – keep us posted on your fill – hopefully this one hit the sweet spot. Missy – Your trip sounds awesome. I have not been on a mission trip since high school. You will be in my prayers. Marci – I don’t puke after drinking something cold but it is harder for me to get it down. My doctor told me to start out with hot tea to loosen the mucus from the pouch and open it up well. Then drink Water, etc. Do you start out with something hot and then switch to something cold? Just a thought if you haven’t tried it. Maybe your pouch is just a little stubborn and needs coaxing to handle colder drinks. I am officially 2 weeks out from my last fill and I am freaking out. I started out around 192 and by the first week was down to 188. I weighed yesterday and I was 192 and today I am 194. My TOM is upcoming but I have never gained that much. I just don’t get it. I have great restriction and I was thinking I might need to increase my calories more because I may not be getting enough to lose. I am chugging water this morning, hoping it is all water weight and will just be flushed out with enough peeing! Is there a January challenge? I didn’t get on in time for the Turkey Take Off. If we don’t have one, is everyone game for doing one after Thanksgiving? Oh yeah, major NSV to report. I went to Old Navy on Sunday and bought a pair of size 14 jeans! WAHOO! My bottom half is finally catching up with my top half!

Linda – I completely understand where you are coming from. Six months later and we are still in this lifestyle change. That in itself is a big change for me. I’ve never lasted that long with any diet before. I am also in a rut with my exercise program right now. I just got adjusted on 11/7, had gone down 4 and now I am back up 3…however it is almost my TOM so I am hoping that is the problem. Whenever I start feeling how you are, look at it this way. Ok, so maybe I am developing some bad habits again, but I am recognizing them more quickly than in the past and I am committed to changing them as opposed to in the past I just adapted to the bad habits and kept on with them. Had I not had the surgery 6 months ago, I’d still be 255, maybe heavier and I would probably gain another 5-10 lbs through the holiday season. Another thing we have to realize is that the band is our tool to success but it can’t change all of our bad habits. The band forced me to change some of my habits whether I was ready to or not (like eating bready stuff, etc). Some habits are still up to me and as long as I am committed to changing them, that is all I can do. It won’t happen overnight and there are going to be times when I relapse because I am only human, but I will get past them because I have my band working with me! We are all works in progress and I must say, we are all doing a DAMN good job! We all deserve a pat on the back! J On that note, I will have my pics up by this weekend hopefully and I am would love to see everyone else’s. How is everyone going to cope with Thanksgiving this year?

Is there an active thread on here for Chattanooga Bandsters? I searched a little but couldn't find anything. Just curious? I figured there were enough of us to start one.

maybe we could plan for something early December because Thanksgiving is just around the corner and that tends to be busy for everyone. I'd love to meet with others though and talk about all of it! :peep:

Hi Maysters, Marci – Dancing is a great NSV! I also will automatically tell people how much I have left to lose when they compliment me too. Marz – that is really cool about the shadow – I hadn’t even thought about that. Missy – a loss is better than a gain! 37 lbs down is great! Linda – Glad to have you back! Kim – I completely understand about the water. It’s hard for me to get it all in now. I also find that I usually have a good drop the first week or two after a fill and then plateau for the rest of the month. You are doing great though! Drews- Great weightloss since your port replacement! Good luck on the interview. I, like you, am amazed at how little the patients at my doctor’s office know about their band. I am running into people that are 1 year post op and have only lost half the weight I have. I have also gotten the impression that these folks expected the band to do all the work and they also do not exercise. I may go to a support group soon too. I have a little bit of a rough time lately. I have been feeling icky for several weeks now. I have not felt like working out and I have been going to bed really early. Starting the end of last week I starting running a fever around 5pm and it would break around 10pm. Well, me being stubborn, just dealt with it. Since I had no symptoms other than fatigue, I just ignored it. I got my 3rd adjustment last week so I thought my fatigue might be due to my liquid diet. Finally, on Monday I went to the doctor and I have bronchitis, which my son actually got diagnosed with last week too. I found it odd because I always thought some of the main symptoms of bronchitis are coughing and chest rattling. My doctor told me my lungs sounded like a smokers and I do not and never have smoked. So I got some meds and now I am trying to fight this infection. I am back at work today. I am feeling better but I get winded just getting up to use the restroom. I plan on getting some pics on here this week. I am 3.4 lbs away from my next goal – I’d like to be there by Turkey Day! On a different note, have any of you had to handle people saying, you took the easy way out? Here recently a few friends/coworkers have made comments about the lap-band being the easy way out. I really had to bite my tongue and rather than going off or preaching a sermon. I just said it wasn’t the easy way out because I work far more now than I ever have to lose weight but that the band has been a tool to help me. Sorry for the lengthy post!

Yay - congrats to your MIL!

Hang in there! You can do it!

Myra - I am so sorry to hear about your slipped band. I will keep you in my prayers. That is always my biggest fear. Drews - how did your MIL do in the elections? I got my 3rd fill on Tuesday. I am up to about 2.75 CC in my band. I'm down 2.4 lbs already. I guess I'll update my ticker next week. Dr Rose told me my % of weightloss was among the top of his patients so I was pleased to hear I am progressing well. I'm 5 lbs away from being just "overweight"...yahoo!

Good to know - I am getting adjusted today so hopefully I won't have a plateau anytime soon, but I will definitely refer back to this when I am there. Thanks Pinkylee!

I am in total shock that it's November as well. My 6 month anniversary for banding is tomorrow. The third adjustment for me is today around 3pm. It stinks for me on adjustment days because I can't eat any solids after 9 am and no liquids after 1pm. Since my 2nd adjustment, if I eat any Breakfast at all - it is after 9 am. I even attempted some breakfast this am but it just didn't happen. I want a good fill today but I don't want super duper restriction with it being so close to the holidays. Drews - I'm glad your port replacement went well. I'm sure you'll meet your end of the year goal. Marz- hang in there - the scale didn't move for about 4 weeks for me and I am finally at 2-3 lbs weekly drops again. Ousooner - good willpower on the pizza! I can't do thick crust anymore Myra - good luck with your fill today too! Glad to hear the dental work is helping you eat normally again. My special goal for this month is to reach 185 - that will put me in the "overweight" category instead of obese. Plus I think I might be able to wear a size 14 in pants at that weight. I am about 7 lbs away - I'd like to be there by Thanksgiving. That is also about the size I was when I got married 5 1/2 years ago. I'd like to try on my wedding dress at the end of the month and see if it fits. Also, my DH and DS are going to Gatlinburg, TN the weekend before Thanksgiving with some friends we haven't seen in at least 6-7 months. I am eager to see them. My end of the year goal is to be between 175-180 lbs and I want to be able to wear a size 12 or at least close to it, because my DH is getting me clothes for Christmas and I am asking for 12's. Just thought of an idea - I know a lot of you are good about posting progress pics on here, but since we are all around that 6 month mark it would be a great time to post some before/after pics. I will work on getting some on here over the next week. Let me know your thoughts!

Hey Kim - I knew you were just from our May bandsters group. I think I have seen some of his posts. I think it would be neat if we could find enough Chattanooga bandsters to do a monthly or bi-monthly support gathering type thing. Maybe we will get some feedback from others. Technically I don't live in Chattanooga - I live in Cleveland, but I work downtown.

Brenda, There is a support group at the Memorial weight loss center. There is a weekly one at noon on Wednesday's and then another one that is held monthly on Monday nights. I was also banded by Dr. Rose. You can call Graham Brannan, the social worker at the office and he could probably give you more info. 423-495-7932. Good luck!

I used Dr. Walter Rose in Chattanooga, TN - 423-495-2235 Here is a link to the Chattanooga's doctors http://www.gastricbandinstitute.com/default2.asp Dr Ponce is good too. Good luck!

It sounds like everyone is starting off November with a bang! Glad to hear everyone doing well. I guess we are all going to hit our 6 month mark at some point during this month. Mine will be 11/8/06. I go in for my 3rd fill tomorrow. I am going to get all of my updated stats so I can post them on here. May was such a busy month for us because of my son’s (Harrison’s) 1st birthday, my surgery, Harrison got tubes in his ears and then my birthday came along. My little guy is 18 months old today! He played such a big role in me deciding once and for all to have the surgery. I look back six months ago at the pictures from Harrison’s birthday party (2 days prior to my surgery) and think, wow – what a transformation – both inside and out. I can honestly say that I would have the surgery all over again if given the opportunity. It has helped change my life in so many ways. I have so much fun playing with my son now and I am really enjoying his toddler days. I can’t wait to be pregnant again and see how much more I enjoy pregnancy as a healthy mom. My husband has been calling me “bitty” because he says I look itty bitty. Of course, I am no where near being itty bitty but in comparison to my 250+ days I guess I look much smaller. Anyway, I was feeling reflective and very grateful for the life changes. Maybe the Thanksgiving spirit is already kicking in. Hope everyone continues to have a good month!

Thank you. I am really not sure what I have in there but I am thinking it is around 2.5 cc. I am going to get all of my stats when I go see them on 11/7. I talked to Gina today about it and she said it would be a pretty small adjustment since I am on my 3rd. She also said they can do it in the office without going to radiology since you can feel my port through my skin. I am a little nervouse but I know a few people that have had the fill done in the office w/o fluroscopy and had no problems. I am hoping for the best. I'd like to be 185 by Thanksgiving and around 180 by Christmas!

Well I am scheduled for my third fill on 11/7. I dread it but at the same time I look forward to it. Hopefully I can still eat a little for Thanksgiving. Otherwise, I will be completely miserable not being able to partake in the stuffing and sweet potato casserole. I hope it can help me meet my Christmas goal. Any of you had a 3rd yet? If so, how was it?

What my doctor stressed to me is that until you get your first fill, it is not really about weightloss...it is about adjusting to the band and letting your stomach heal from surgery. It took me 2 fills to get really good restriction. The thing you have to realize is that you aren't going to change bad habits overnight and it will take time to make all of the lifestyle changes needed to make the band work for you. Maybe you could say that you are only going to allow dessert once a week and that would help you not get so discouraged. However, you are doing something right because your scale is going down!

Kim - Good luck with the 2nd fill - it was a great one for me. Lots more restriction and a really good drop that first month. I just called my doctor today about getting a 3rd...it's been almost 12 weeks and I think I am ready. My fear is that it will still be really tight for Thanksgiving though! I don't want to pig out but I do want to enjoy some of my favorite dishes. My last adjustment took me a long time before I could eat a good variety. MVPO - That is great news about the treadmill. Keep on trucking!

Just wanted to report some progress. I bought several of the high protein foods Linda mentioned and had a very high protein dinner. I usually don't weigh every day but I wanted to see if I noticed any difference by upping the protein. I had gone up to 198 and this morning I was 196.8. Yahoo!! Can't wait to weigh on Monday!

Wow thanks Linda. I am going shopping after work so I will look around for some of these. I am barely getting 50 g of protein..I think that is a problem w/ my weightloss. I have a really hard time getting a lot of lean meat down so I am eager to try some of these options. I actually use Sparkpeople to track my stats for food. I usually get between 1000-1300 calories but struggle w/ protein. Thanks again. Hopefully this will help me have another 2-3 lb week!

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