Barry

Hey guys, I love that this is only for 10cc bands, I was beginning to think I was crazy because I felt no restriction. I had my first fill on Dec 22nd and they put in 1.7cc and you guessed it....I feel nothing. I have already called the surgery center and will be getting another as soon as I can schedule it. It makes sense if you think about it, a bigger band means more fills to get to the sweet spot. I still eat much much less than I used to so I'll just take it one step at a time.

Your days of binging on solid foods are over. I used to eat so much late at night and now I don't, it's great. One thing I decided was that I wasn't going to deprive myself from having a bite of something every now and then. For example I might have one or two cheese puffs of something like that. I chew them well and it satisfies me and then I'm done. I haven't had bread or carbonated drinks since surgery, Oct 23rd., and don't miss them one bit. It's funny, I thought I would miss so many things food related but I don't. I guess what it boils down to is by eating all those bad foods, I missed so much more of life by not feeling good enough about myself to go out and do them. Knock on wood, this is the best thing I've done in a long time. Good luck!

I work at an office that tends to use others personal lives as topics for discussion.....that's a really nice way to say their a bunch of gossips. I haven't told anyone but my wife and kids and one other coworker who I've known and trusted for years and is considering the same thing herself. I haven't told my brother yet but I will after I lose a little weight. I only see him about twice a year so I have time. I know he'll be very supportive, I just want something to show him when I tell him. It's such a personal decision for everyone but a very easy one for me.

Predictions: 1.The next 2 years will be nothing but Congressional Hearings with no agenda other than to make the Democrates look better for 2008. How do you do this? Make Republicans look bad. 2. During this time virtually NOTHING will be accomplished. 3. Democrates will mistake their "razor thin" victory as a mandate to pull troops out of Iraq and other strategic locations with no regard to the damage that this action will cause for decades. This mistake will ultimately cost them the White House in 2008 because the REAL message from the voter was this, "You guys, Democrates and Republicans, put your heads together, work together, make Iraq better, and stop the gridlock....we're sick of it". But guess what? The Democrates are so "joyous" after their perceived mandate they'll do nothing for two years but obstruct and nothing will change too much in Iraq. 4. The American voter, being a little smarter than those in Washington give us credit for, will elect a "moderate" like John McCain or someone like him, and the Democrates will yet again fail to get the message. This moderate may be a Democrate in title, but will govern with common sense and will make decisions based on what's best for this country and not his particular party.....this is what the American voter wants. 5. John Kerry's little joke that went bad is a true indicator of how the Democrates, most anyway, feel about our military. I don't care if he was in Vietnam, he thinks our military is a bunch of "knuckle draggers" and has no use for them. This opinion of the military will be shown under the bright light of Congressional hearings that are coming like a freight train with no brakes. These hearing will be lead by Democrates. For those of us who tend to favor the Republican party, be patient, sit back and let the Democrates hang themselves, given enough time and media attention they'll succeed.

Congratulations! NSV's are the best because they usually show up just when you least expect them. I had one myself today. I went to pick up my wife for lunch and I noticed as I was walking up to the door that she was standing there looking at me. When I walked in she told me I looked like I lost a lot more than ten pounds and was beaming. I felt like a million dollars.

Hi all, I was banded on the 23 of October and everything has been going well. I have lost ten pounds, not as good as some I read, but that's alright. I think I'm losing more inches than I am actual pounds and I can live with that because I can feel the difference in my clothes, and that's what counts to me. I may be crazy here, since I did have the surgery, but I have no real desire, or more importantly the need, to get a fill at this time. I know that things will probably change and if they do I will take the appropriate actions, but right now I'm really happy with how things are going. I'm not losing weight fast, but it appears to be steady and that is so cool. My journey, so far, has been really easy and I can honestly say that I don't walk around hungry or having any bad cravings. I haven't had a problem not drinking while eating or had a PB, I don't crave diet Dr Peppers at all.....don't even think about them, which is weird because I thought I would. I can eat a Lean Cuisine dinner in the evening and am well satisfied for the rest of the evening. Given the potential of getting blocked, or being over filled and some of the other complications that I've read about on this site in reference to fills, I think I'll just rock on like I am for now until it becomes necessary for me to get a fill. If there's one thing I've learned from this page and other bandsters is that everyone seems to find, usually through trial and error, what works best for them. This seems to work for me..........for now. Good luck to everyone and glad to see we're all doing well.

Welcome! I live north of Houston but have an uncle who lives in Saratoga Springs, NY close to the race track. I have similar stats as you, I'm 41, male and at 280 now, down five pounds since surgery. Don't worry about the constipation, it will pass as you eat more substantial food and as for the number of times you've been going to the bathrrom I know exactly what you mean. It makes sense to me though, I had my surgery on the 23rd of October and haven't had any fills but now I eat so much less it's crazy. Eat less, go less. I don't know about you but I have been tempted to eat more chewable food since I feel so much better but have resisted and have been following the doctors orders. I'll get to that point soon enough. As far as the ticker tape at the bottom I must confess I had my wife do mine, shes better at that kind of stuff than I am. Good Luck!

I'll tell you the really sad part is that in great state of Texas, as big and wonderful as it is, that they are the best candidates for Governor that we can muster. I don't like any of them. All the good potential candidates for Governor are too smart to run and stay in the private sector.

I had a good friend who was banded about four years ago when they first started doing them, he had great results and lost over 100lbs and has maintained his loss. He said after he lost the weight the women started chasing after him and unfortunately he let one catch him. My friend was married and it ended up costing him his marriage. He knows that it's entirely his fault and now has to live with what he did, it bothers him. He said that the attention he got was not expected and it really threw him for a loop. He said he never expected things to end up like they did. He has since settled down and he and his ex are on good terms and are very social. It's a shame that it had to happen but maybe someone else can learn from his experience.

Seems like they might have something to hide?

The scale is not our friend, being confident in knowing that we're doing the right things and staying the course to an ultimate reward is what we should be looking at everyday. The only true way to evaluate my weight loss is when I put on clothes that used to be tight and now aren't that tight. No scale in the world can make you feel that good.

Hey guys, I was banded on the 23rd. and I feel great and getting better everyday. My stomach has also started growling but that's ok, it'll live and so will I. I know now that when it growls that I need to put a LITTLE something in it and not a #3 from McDonalds. I used to be a Diet Dr Pepper junkie and oddly enough haven't missed them one bit. It's amazing how much less I eat and I haven't even had a fill. I was bragging to my wife the other day that I haven't had any gas problems since banding.....ok, so I'm not bragging anymore :nervous. Anybody else having gas problems? Me and Gas-X have become close friends, it doesn't seem to help that much but I still use it. Good luck to everyone!

I just had surgery Monday, to say this is a learning experience is an understatement but nothing that can't be handled. I too felt sluggish the first couple of days but am now starting to feel more like my old self, I guess it just takes time. I had limited shoulder pain from some of the other posts I've read, it always bothers me when I layed down. I spent the first couple of nights sleeping upright on the couch. I just slept in bed for the first time since Monday....it was great. The few times I did feel that upper chest pain I walked up and down the driveway and in front of my house for about 10 minutes, this seemed to help me. I didn't go fast, just slowly walked. I hope this helped you.

Hey everybody, this is my first posting so I hope I do it right. My name is Barry, I'm 41 and just got banded on 10/23/06 by Dr. Spivak at the surgery center. Once again it seems that everyone associated with Spivak are top notch people. Everyone was so nice and the surgery was a breeze. This morning I got up and felt pretty sore, which is normal I know, but the soreness was very noticable this morning.....ouch. I didn't sleep very well last night and ended up on the couch, I just couldn't get comfortable. I haven't been truly hungry yet but I did have a small packet of grits this morning as I felt a burning sensation in my stomach. The grits went down just fine and that stopped the burning. I was weighed yesterday morning at the surgery center and came in at a sad 284lbs. but thats alright I didn't get this way overnight and it won't come off over night. I am very committed to this new challenge in my life and look forward going through this process with everyone else.