howdybooth

Josie - always - always eat protein first!!!! It will fill you up and keep you full for longer periords of time and you will keep your HAIR!!! As for 9cc - you didn't say if you have 10 or 14cc band. If only 14, then 9 isn't so much. I'm going in for a fill this week too. I have a 10cc band and I'm already at 6cc, so I still have more to go. Last fill I had (3 months ago) I asked my doc what happens if I get to 10 and he said not to worry - 10 was very tight. I'm 9 months out and I've lost 65 lbs.

You know what? The same happened to me. I was so afraid that I wouldn't be able to follow the 10 day per surgery liquid diet that I started it 4 weeks before my surgery......lost 17 pounds. After the surgery, with no fill, I lost 7 more pounds. Then I went 8 weeks, getting less and less restricted......gained the 7 pounds back. It wasn't until I had a very aggressive fill (3 ccs) that I steadly started losing weight. I'm now down 65 pounds total - 8 months out. But, if I'm not really restricted - I don't lose any weight - even at only 1000-1200 cals per day.......I have to be under 1000 to lose. Only thing I can tell you - try and get an agressive fill!

I'm 8 months out and can't eat more then 1 tiny bite of half those things you listed......except for maybe the cookie :cursing:) It took me 3 fills before I got the restriction that "I" was looking for........I say it that way because I like to be tight. If I'm not tight, then I too can eat just about anything I like - just very small amounts and I'd rather not have that temptation. So, maybe you need to be tighter?????

I have consistently lost 2 lbs per week until very recently - I'm 32 post band and I've lost 65 lbs. Now I won't lose for one or two weeks or even be up a pound and then lose 4 lbs........So, I'm thinking it's because I've gotten down to my last 30-35 lbs to lose and I will now have to work even harder. I know I don't need a fill - I'm still pretty restricted. I just beleive that I need to make better choices with food and bump up my exercise.

Actually - if you think about it - how is it really any different? Those of us who have it done the "normal" way know that our first few fills don't tend to be a whole lot before you're restricted. As I've lost weight, I've had more agressive fills. So with that in mind........wouldn't filling it up all the way and then removing until the liquid passes amount to just about emptying the band? With that being said, it just seems like a waste of saline to me.....Plus - I have to pay for each of my fills and I really don't want to have a pay for a flouro each time!!!

Waynes6 - I haven't noticed either of those causing tightness. Here's what I do know.....If I eat too late, when I go to bed, I have problems with slimming or just plain old acid reflux (which I've never had before!). Then my pouch becomes more sensitive and I'm tighter feeling the next day. It really takes me 3-4 hours to digest my food and it's really hard to eat by 6:00 pm. So, I try to have a bigger meal at lunch, where I have an hour to eat and the rest of the day to digest and a very light meal at dinner.

You should notice a difference. Right now you are eating less, but basically what you've always eaten, but remember - you have nothing in your band right now! Once I had my first fill it was really a rude awakening! I no longer could eat bread (love bread - hence my weight problem), pasta is really hard, and meat is a struggle. I have a protein drink in the AM, I now love and have added greek yogurt to my daily meals and chicken! I really, really work hard at getting my daily requirement of protein!!!

You all may just be eating more then you realize. As your weight goes down, your band should be less tight - causing less restrictions. That in turn allows you to eat more, or maybe even eat foods that you couldn't before. So you may want to pay extra close attention to how much and what kinds of food you are eating.

I’ve now lost 61 pounds and beginning to notice something new! It appears that I’m once again on a normal monthly cycle!!!! I had a hysterectomy in 2000 and kept my ovaries, so basically I can go through a regular full cycle – just no period. For the last ten years that “normal” cycle only happens about every 3-4 months. Now for the last 3 months, it’s been happening every month! Breast tenderness, cravings, hunger for no reason, slight water retention and worst of all PMS! I’m 49 and just figured for the last 10 years I was that all favorite word of premenopausal……. Has anyone else noticed a difference in their monthly cycle after losing a large amount of weight?

OK - so maybe I'm panicking a little too early, but I've stopped losing weight! I was banded on November 16, 2009 and have lost 61 pounds so far! I didn't lose much at first, but after my second fill (January), I've been averaging 2 pounds per week. I had my fourth fill in early May and I'm still very restricted, but 4 weeks ago, instead of losing, I gained 1 pound. The next week I lost 4 pounds; the next 0 pounds, and now this week 1/2 a pound. I’m I just at one of those plateaus? Did any of you go through one? If so, did you do anything differently to get back on the losing track? :thumbup:

My GP would like to learn how to do fills and take over my maintenance. Since I'm self-paid and have to pay for every fill, it would be easier for me to get in to see him versus my surgeon (who I lover!). Any info out there on where he can learn to do fills?

Oh I forgot - my GP is in the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas area.

I'm at my sweet spot. I was banded on 11/16/09 and have lost 57 lbs so far! I have a 10cc band and I'm at 6cc. Since this last fill (4/28) I've lost at a rate of 2 lbs per week. I can only eat a third of a hotdog w/bun! I average about a 1/2 cup of chewed food per meal. I'm also work out 3 times per week - about 5 hours total.

Anyone else out there feel tired? I was banded November 2009 and have lost 57 lbs so far. I'm currently on blood pressure meds and had blood work done on Friday and asked the doc to see if I’m anemic – everything turned out fine. I was on 2 meds for blood pressure and he removed me from one since its gotten low. So I was wondering if anyone else has trouble feeling fatigued or tired. I work out 3 times per week – treadmill and yoga and I have a huge vegetable garden that I pick, hoe, and water. Which is pretty much what I did before the band……except change out gardening with fence building (I have a farm!).

No - I think you will be fine.....surgery and the liquids does take a lot out of you! If just seems recently that I'm finding myself more tired. It could also be a reaction to all the dang pollen in the air! It could also be that I'm far more active than I was before the weight loss! I think I'm doing the same amount of physical activity, but with 57 lbs less to carry around, maybe I'm doing more and that's where the being tired comes in. I just thought that maybe others out there may find themselves more tired; after all - we are eating a huge amount less then we used to!

I too have lost and gained (like many of us - I'm sure). I also was afraid it wouldn't "work" for me! But I'm happy to report that it is working great! Don't be discourage if it takes a while to get started. I lost 17 lbs before surgery (11/09) and then managed to gain 7 of it back before my first fill (about 8 weeks after surgery). I've had 3 fills total and I'm around 7 cc of a 10 cc band and I'm now down 55 lbs. I also beleive I've hit that sweet spot that everyone talks about. I can pretty much eat whatever I want, just in very, very small amounts. I work very hard to get my daily Protein in first! My doctor told me from the very beginning that his goal was for me to be able to eat whatever I thought tasted good and lose weight and then eat whatever tasted good to maintain my weight. And so far it's working. So hang in there and get excited! It works! :thumbup:

I haven’t had a hamburger since my surgery on November 16th, 2009. I keep my band pretty tight, so eating one is pretty much a no go for me. Does anyone out there have a way of making a substitute hamburger? I just love a homemade, greasy, burger with lettuce, tomato, onion and mustard. Now I know that’s not what I’m going to eat, I’m just looking to see if anyone has come up with an easy to digest way to fool my brain! LOL :scared2:

Are you at your sweet spot? Yes and no..........To tell you the truth - I love being tight! And I mean really tight! I had my surgery 11/16/09 and have lost 49 pounds as of today (25 weeks - 49 lbs). My doc likes to see a loss of 1 -2 pounds per week and that's what I'm averaging. And I too eat a lot of fat-free refried Beans with cheese and fat-free turkey chili. I've had three fills and I'm currently at 6 1/2 cc on a 10 cc band. My fills last about 8-10 weeks before a find that I can start eating more......that's my clue to go get filled. I've gone from a 24/3X to a 16/XL and I'm thrilled! So basically - you are at your sweet spot until you lose enough weight to make the band loose. Think of it like a belt around your waist. Every time you lose weight the belt gets looser, so you have to move up another notch. It's the same with the band. Enjoy the tightness and watch the weight come off! BTW: I have recently started taking an Iron supplement because I'm now a little anemic.

3 fills with out xray and yes my surgeon is doing the fills. You shouldn't have any problems........

On January 12 I had my first fill of 3 CCs - and for the first time I was very restricted (surgery 11/16/09). I struggled for about the first 3 weeks trying to figure out what I can eat and how much and how long to chew. My doctor said that if I haven't lost 8 pounds by February 12 I was to come back for another fill. I've lost 7........and I'm beginning to fill less restricted. Now I don't know if that' because I've learned how to eat or because I've lost 7 lbs, my band is now looser. Should I fill or not?

Stop smoking! I know that it's easier said then done, but I smoked for 20+ years and quit 3 years ago. Try Chantix - it worked wonders for me. I was a non-smoker by the end of the 8th day of being on the meds.

Here’s what I’ve found to be the case……some surgeons don’t want to do the lap band procedure because of the follow up maintenance…..i.e.: fills. So they are encouraging their patients to have the more aggressive forms of WLS – plus they make more money! So how do you convince someone to do one surgery over the other…….by telling them that they will lose their weight faster and be healthier sooner! But when you look 5 years down the road – weight loss is the same. Just smile and say you are so glad theirs is working for them and very happy how well yours is working for you.

Would it make a difference to your advice if you knew that I have to pay (out of pocket) $125 each time I get a fill?

Ask for an agressive fill! I had one small fill (1.5 cc) 3 weeks after surgery (11/16/09). Then the holidays came - I was restricted somewhat on how much I could eat, but not the types of food. On January 12, 2010 I asked for an agressive fill - he gave me 3.5 cc's and I though it was ok.....then I threw up the Water - he removed the 1/2 cc and now I'm great. But........it took me 3 weeks to get used to the agressive fill!!!! That fill was actually the first time I realized what the band was all about. Very limited quantities and limited types of food. I struggle to keep up my calorie intake and my Protein - but I've been steady at loosing 2 lbs per week......down 6 pounds since the fill. Once I quit loosing 2 lbs per week - I go back for another fill! Good luck and hang in there and remember - it still requires watching what you eat!!!!!

You know, it may just be a matter of getting used to your restriction. I was banded on November 16 and had a small fill on December 3. I was restricted, but only by quantity of food and not types of food. Almost 4 weeks ago I had an agressive fill and just this past week have finally begun to be able to eat and drink without a problem. I attribute this to my learning what and how to eat. I was begining to think I was too tight, but now I don't. I even went as far as calling my doctor and from what he said, if I could drink and it went down and stayed down, I wasn't too tight. I will also tell you that there are some kinds of chicken that I can eat and some that I can't.......you might just need to learn what your new tummy can and can't handle and that will be by trail and error! Hang in there.....that's what everyone told me and it was true!