vlp1968

I went to the dermatologist when I started loosing some hair about 4 months post op. He said not to worry, it was from the shock to your body of rapid weightloss. He was right, a month or so later it started to thinken up again. I was lucky to start out with a pretty full head of hair. I didn't take anything. Personally, I would save your money and it should grow back on it's own in a couple months.

Yes! It's normal for some foods to cause issues (bread, pasta, dry meat) but you should be able to keep solids down in general. You are loosing weight, but not in a healthy way. Unfortunatly, you are probably loosing some muscle, which obviously you don't want. I would get an unfill ASAP. Good luck.

You may want to try cutting back on carbs- 1000 (I assume the 100 was a typo lol) to 1200 cals is good I think. I would cut out the cereal and the mashers. Also the prepared meatloaf may have had significant carbs. I chose to do a very low carb diet while I was loosing, and still revert to it when the scale creeps up on me. I eat eggs or a protien shake for breakfast, lean meat (chicken breast, tuna, fish, porkloin) and veggie for lunch and dinner. I snack on 1/4cnuts and 2 low fat cheese sticks. It's very rote, but worked for me. It's not for everyone. Some people feel very sluggish when they don't eat carbs, or are just not willing to give up certain foods. I think that's fine. Everyone needs to find what works for them. Just wanted to throw it out there, it may speed up your weight loss.

That's great your going to the gym! Start out slow and gradually increase your duration/intensity. Try to change up what you do so that your body doesn't get used to one particular workout. That is, do the bike one day, treadmill another, swimming another. I find myself gravitating toward the treadmill (with my ipod) and so sometimes I walk on an incline and soemtimes I jog. I believe I am using different muscles. As already said, get a handle on how many calories a day your eating. Good luck!

Out of the mouth of babes. It was a compliment for sure! Keep up the good work.

After loosing 68 pounds I am sure you will be much much more comfortable. No need to an extender. What a great NSV. Have a great trip!

A woman in my support group does the same thing. It's got to be so unhealthy. I bet they are loosing a lot of muscle. I don't blame the doctor's though, they are probably not being honest. Telling them what they need to to get a fill, basically that they are hungry and everything is staying down fine.

I reached my goal about a year ago-about 100 pounds. I struggle with striking a balance. I eat great some days, terrible other days. My band is very loose. I had a hard time staying in a sweet spot. Went from very hungry to getting sick after a very small fill. I am 8.5 pounds away from target weight as of this morning. I am in loosing mode, eating like I was as I lost the weight (very low carb/low fat/low calories). I really hope to get at least most of it off before Thanksgiving, then it will be Christmas uggg. Curious to hear how others are doing in maintaince mode.

Sounds like you may need to increase your protien. Instead of just veggies for lunch you could add some chicken or tuna or eggs. Something lean with lots of protien- fish would work too. Same for dinner. Protien should help keep your appetite under control. I agree with the poster who said try to keep "trigger" foods out of the house. Buy things for the family you don't really care for. Hopefully there are things they like that you don't. Good luck!

I would go see a dermatologist. That's what I did. He told me your body goes into a kind of shock with rapid weight loss and loosing hair is a symptom. However, you are still very early in the game. I didn't start loosing hair until about 6 months post op. It took about another 6 months for it to stop. Good luck!

To be blunt- I think your docs are absolutely wrong. Here in the states, a high protien low carb diet is advocated both for the band and diebeties. I eat lots of eggs, lean meat, veggies and some nuts and cheese. I too have diebeties and when I eat right my blood sugar is fine, I am off the meds since I lost my excess weight and cut out the carbs. Good luck!

You are doing great! 1-2 pounds is what is to be expected. I know well the feeling of wanting more. Keep on doing what your doing and the scale will continue to move. Try to be patient. You didn't gain all the weight in a short period of time, and you won't loose it in a short period of time either. Again, you are doing awsome, keep up the good work!

I second the chapstick. My lips got really really dry. You won't be able to have anything by mouth until they do an x-ray and make sure everything is as it should be. Also, bring a pillow for the ride home, to put between you and the seatbelt. Congrats on your impending surgery!

I don't think you have a slipped band. It is very typical not to be able to tolerate pasta and potatoes. I swear by a low carb diet so if I were you I wouldn't eat them. If you don't want to go low carb. you may consider an unfill so you can tolerate the foods you want to eat.

Hey guys, For us bandsters banded in Nov. its been a year-or two or three... Just wondering how everyone is doing. I am 2 years post op. Can't believe it's been that long. I am STILL working on striking a balance. I eat great some days, and terrible others. Overall I am about 10 pounds heavier than my goal weight. I have been doing great for the last week or so. I really want to loose the 10 before Thanksgiving. That's where I'm at, where are you?

I would start off slow and gradually increase your duration/intensity. Even just 20 minutes of cardio 4 or so days a week is enough to get started. That's what I did, started with a slow walk for 20 min. on the treadmill. Now I jog for 30 or walk on an incline for 45. If you want to do weights right away that would be great. I highly reccomend a personal trainer if you can afford it. It not only keeps you accountable but a trainer will make sure your doing the right form and knows when to bump up the weight. I love mine. Good luck and keep us posted on how the workouts go.

I swear by a low carb diet. I lost 107 pounds in about 10 months on a lowcarb/low fat/ low calorie diet. I ate eggs or had a protien shake for breakfast. Lunch and dinner were a lean meat and veggie and I snacked on 1/4c nuts and 2 low fat cheese sticks. Very mundane but it worked for me. As stated, it doesn't work if you cheat. The idea is your body goes into a state of "ketosis" where it burns fat for energy. Even one high carb item will end the state of ketosis. That being said, I don't think a low carb diet if for everyone. Some people feel very slugish on it, wasn't the case for me. Some people just aren't willing to give up carbs almost completely. They can still loose weight. The real bottom line is calories in and calories out. Burn more calories than you take in and your body will burn fat. Excersise is important so muscle isn't also burned.

1-Due to underactive o varies I don't get a period. not sure what you crave. If it's chocolate you might want to try sugar free candy. Just be careful because they still have significant calories and the sugar alchohols can cause stomach problems. If it's salty, you might wantto try those 100 calorie snack packs. Yes your weight will flucuate due to Water retention. You may want to simply stay off the scale during TOM. 2-249 seems really high for sure. My nut. says around 100. When I was loosing, I kept my carbs very low- probably around 20-30. It was carbs from veggies and nuts. I had a shake for Breakfast, or eggs would work. Lean meat (chicken, fish, porkloin) and veggie for lunch and dinner. One snack of 1/4 cup nuts and 2 cheese sticks. Not a lot of variety, but it worked for me. Some would say so low carb isn't healthy but Ifelt great. Some say they have no energy if they don't eat carbs, wasn't the case for me. 3-I like the treadmill, with my ipod. I walk on an incline for 45 minutes or jog for 30. I switch it up a little to use different muscles. I started out with a slow walk for 20 and gradually increased my duration/intensity. 4- I would due nuts or protien bars. Atkins makes some snack bars that are lowcarb and reasonable calories. 5-I would get a fill when your not full from your meal/snack for 3-4 hours. That's assuming you have one snack as I mentioned above. If your loosing weight but experienceing a lot of hunger it's time for a fill. 6-I think sunflower seends are pretty dense it fat and calories, but not positive. You may want to snack on those instead of the nuts I suggest if you like them a lot. You can probably find out the nutrition info on line. Just google nutrition sunflower seeds. When your not in your truck the ones in shells would be great. Lots of work to get at the seeds will slow you down. 7-Your caloreis and protien are perfect. As I said, I ate a very lowcarb diet- but that doesn't work for everyone. Infact the 100 you are doing is just what my nut. suggests. I just chose not to head that advice while I was loosing. For maintaince I probably do about 100. You asked excellent questions, and hope my answers help. I was banded 2 years ago and lost the 100 pounds I needed in about 10 months. Good luck and keep us posted on how your doing. If you want to send me a personal message I would be happy to keep in touch. Veronica

I think you need to seek some help before it gets out of hand. It is known as addiction transfer. You are simply substituting your food addiction with gambling. I would seek out a counselor who specializes in eating disorders, or addiction, whichever you think will be more beneficial. I wish you the best, I think it's great you see the way the tide is turning, so to speak. Good luck!

I rode in the car for a few hours a few days after surgery. I found it a little painful, I think it was the jiggling of the car. I ended up stopping to take a percecet and then I was fine. 11 hours is a long drive. You don't say exactly when you will travel. I would say about a week out you should be alright.

Walking is ok for now- infact it's great. However, you should get clearance from your surgeon before doing anything more strenuous. I didn't start working out until like the 4th month so I don't know how long my doc. would have wanted me to wait.

Well, my thought is that the band just doens't seem to be working for you. My inclination would be to have it removed. I am curious as to how much more weight you have to loose. Do you think you could do it, and keep it off, without the assistance of the band or other surgery? Good luck in your decision, it's not an easy one and is very important. Keep us posted on what you decide to do.

I have been having a hard time lately. I lost 107 pounds- weighed 110 at my lowest, today I was at 127. I just got back from a 2 week trip to Europe and can't seem to get back on track. I start off ok- then hunger and cravings set in. As far as my band, it was never the tool I hoped it would be. I would be very hungry, get a small fill then be gettting sick. There were weeks here and there I was in a good place, but overall restriction was elusive. So... I don't want to get a fill- just doesn't seem worth it, they didn't work before. I was doing great with excersise but that has slacked since I've been back too. I even blew off my trainer twice- which I never do since I pay for it anyway. I guess what I need is a swift yet caring kick in the ass! Thanks for listening.

I didn't realize you were still on mushies. I didn't worry about carbs or calories until I got to solid food. When I was on mushies I ate thigs like cottage cheese and apple sauce and mashed potatoes. Things not low in carbs at all. When I got to solids I ate very little carb- probably only around 30 a day. I would have eggs for breakfast, or a protien shake. Lean meat (chicken, fish, porkloin, turkey) and a non starchy veggie for lunch and dinner. For a snack I'd have a 1/4c nuts and 2 cheese sticks. Some days I would have an additonal 1/4c nuts. Be carefull with nuts- they are healthy but very dense in calories and have significant fat. I do find them very satisfying. Hope this helps.

Yes- I believe strongly that a very lowcarb diet will work. It's all about keeping your blood sugar stable. When you eat carbs, basically insulin turns the sugar into fat. I also want to put in a plug for excersise. The benefits are numerous, just one being weight loss. If your already working out, changing it up may help you get past this stall. Good luck!