cgailsmith

I have had the band for one year, six months; and have lost 33 lbs. I lost the first 20 pds in the first three months after surgery; and then stayed at 188 lbs for the next year even though they kept tighteneing. The last time I went in (january?), my surgeon refused to tighten it anymore as his nurse felt I was getting enough restriction. I am at 6ccs now. Is it normal for people to lose this slow, and hit plateaus?

Yeah! I'm happy for you!! I go in tomorrow to get more restriction, about five months ago the doctor refused to fill me anymore and I am starting to gain weight. I got down to about 176 lbs, now I'm inching upward again. I think I'm only at 4cc.

i'm maintaining, but have been for six months. I'm going to see my Dr. for another fill next Friday, see what can happen then

This probably should be a poll, but I just wanted to know what people thought about posting pictures. Is it more motivational to sign in and see: 1. A picture of you at your highest weight? 2. A picture of yourself now (in my case I've only dropped 33 lbs). 3. A picture that is dated (in my case six years ago), but in which you are at/near goal weight? I know that it is personal opinion, but before, I post my picture, I want to hear from other's experiences as to what they find most motivational.

Did you just get banded today? How did you eat all that?

This link worked, thanks

I'm a slow loser too, I find ways to eat around the band. It's a shame we can't band our brain in the same way we do our stomach. I'm going in for another fill on July 2, haven't been filled in over six months. Today, I had a protein smoothie with rice milk, strawberries and banannas and then had a handful of potatoe chips. I went to sparkpeople.com and set up an account and found out that that stupid handful of potato chips was more calories and fat than both of my cups of smoothie. I gave the bag to my son who threw it away for me. I am going to use sparkpeople as a tool to record everything I put in my mouth. Maybe that will help me with this stupid plateu I am on

This is the spread sheet I am going to: http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=rAk3f3Mw3gBCUI1QplcI2aA&pli=1 I see my name but not BEA1128 nor do I see true DIVA both who signed up this morning....The spreadsheet I am going to shows that no one has lost any weight, so I get this feeling I'm at the wrong spreadsheet

I'm in! I put my name on the spreadsheet.

How did you feel when your Dr.s decided not to give you a fill (I read your small purple type at the bottom)

I just found out there is a support group June 25th at 6:30 p.m. at St. Bernardine Hospital at the San Jose Room. You might be up and around be that time - I dunno if its open to others I'll find out.

It helps me a lot to hear from others with the same experience. I'd love to drop another 20 lbs, I'd almost be at my goal weight. Can't wait to get back to the doctor on July 2nd and let him know its time to restrict me more.

Honestly, I hope you are right! I admit I'm jaded and hopeless about my own ability to lose weight. But the band has not failed me, I'm sorry I've given you that impression.

Patience, it takes a while to feel the appropriate fill level. Your experience is shared by everyone. I thought mine didn't work at all until four months after the operation

I so agree, and have made an appointment for July 2nd. I am going armed with copies of replies to my threads. It seems to me that I am WAY behind the weight loss of other bandsters who have 12 or more months in the program, and I am also filled less than those bandsters. There has to be a correlation.

I just have to think that if you are able to lose on pure willpower alone, then you probably did not need the band in the first place. Eventually the honeymoon will be over and you will begin eating in the fashion that caused you to be overweight in the first place - you just may not be able to eat as quickly! I congratulate you for having will power to strictly control your eating without having your first fill. I was never able to do that pre-lap band and have been unable to do it post lap band. Fortunately for me, I do not gain weight any more. With that being said, I've had the band for 18 months now and, yes, I am eating too much - which is why I wanted to get everyone's opinion about my fill level. Most everyone appears to be losing weight between 4.5 and- 6 cc's. I am at 4 cc's now, and have been hovering at the same weight now for more than a year. I believe I need another 1/2 a fill to give me the motivation to recommit to my goals. and take off another 20 lbs.

Funny, I'm on hold right now to dr. Krahn's office to make an appointment (when I read your reply). I'll ask when someone gets on the phone with me.

Help! What is PBing???

I'd like some information from people who've been on the band for a year or more. At what level did you hit your "sweet spot"? I'm at 6cc and really can't seem to lose more weight at that level, so I just wanted to hear from others. Thanx

Thanks, big papa and the rest of you guys.

What is PBing?

You have a very deep subject, and one obviously in which people don't care to think about. I tend toward right conservative values, and wish prayer in public school was still legal. Church used to be a place of fellowship and community, but our affluence as a nation made a place where people could come together and receive both financial and moral support not as needed as it was when we were a farming society. I believe that with the advent of media and also different cultures and different religions in America, along with our greater affluence, the traditional values you speak of have been greatly watered down. People have insurance companies that build their house when it burns down, not a group of church goers that will build the house or bring food or provide a place to stay. We buy nannies to care for our children, and no longer use extended family - another way affluence erodes family and christian values. We buy new faces, seeming to deny the existence of age, rather than respecting the existence of age. And the media, don't get me started. Tits, ass, drugs and perfection. I have TV and am addicted and I blame dissatisfaction with my life on the toob. It paints such a wrong picture of real life.

I get salmon at Costco and throw it in ziplock bags with Bernsteins Restaurant Italian or Cheese Fantastico salad dressing. Then I saute it in a pan on the stove with some water, butter, and all of the salad dressing. It is delicious and my kids gobble it down too. Once word of caution - I cook it up the same day that I buy it, or the next day. Otherwise its starts smelling fishy which we all dislike. If I have a lemon around, I squeeze it on it while its sauteing in the pan, and my daughter likes it squeezed on after its cooked. Ingredients: Salmon, salad dressing,lemon, butter Prep time: Two minutes to rinse the raw salmon and put it with the salad dressing in the morning. 10 minutes to cook it up in the pan, my normal cook time is three minutes per side for medium thick. If the middle is very thick (at Costco that happens), I slice off the thinner portions when done and let the thicker slices stay in an extra two minutes or so per side. Once its cooked, we eat on it for three days

I get salmon at Costco and throw it in ziplock bags with Bernsteins Restaurant Italian or Cheese Fantastico salad dressing. Then I saute it in a pan on the stove with some water, butter, and all of the salad dressing. It is delicious and my kids gobble it down too. Once word of caution - I cook it up the same day that I buy it, or the next day. Otherwise its starts smelling fishy which we all dislike. If I have a lemon around, I squeeze it on it while its sauteing in the pan, and my daughter likes it squeezed on after its cooked. Ingredients: Salmon, salad dressing,lemon, butter Prep time: Two minutes to rinse the raw salmon and put it with the salad dressing in the morning. 10 minutes to cook it up in the pan, my normal cook time is three minutes per side for medium thick. If the middle is very thick (at Costco that happens), I slice off the thinner portions when done and let the thicker slices stay in an extra two minutes or so per side. Once its cooked, we eat on it for three days.

Good luck with the revision. Did you gain 70lbs back with the band, or had they already removed the band?