vlp1968

I think you will be ok. I am jealous. I had to give up casinos years ago, got to carried away. Take it easy and good luck.

As already mentioned, start working out if you haven't already. There are so many benefits, just one being weight loss. Start out slow and gradually increase your duration/intnesity. It's so tough to get started (took me about 4 months post op) but it will become a matter of routine. You can do it!

Sorry you are having trouble. That stinks you can't get in until Tues. I had times were a slight fill sent me from being hungry to getting sick. It's very frustrating. Hang in there. I had times when the surgeon took out more than he had put in and I still had restriction. Go figure. Try to get in as much Fluid as you can and take it easy. I have found watering down shakes when I was really tight helped. They don't taste too good, but go down easier. Feel better soon.

I believe the amount of excess skin depends on several factors, genetics, weight gain and loss over your life, pregnancies and natural elactisity of your skin. I have had 2 surgeries (tummy/boobs and face) with one to go (arms). It's not for everyone, luckily clothes hide a lot.

Out of the mouth of babes! Keep up the good work!

You are doing just great. 6 pounds every three weeks is two pounds a week on average, which is just right. I say keep doing what your doing!

My surgery was a piece of cake really. I am lucky in that I have a high pain tolerance and handle anestesia (can't spell it!) really well. I also had no gas pains. I took pain meds for 2 days or so, figured why be uncomfortable. Bring chapstick, you won't be able to have anything by mouth until they do an exray to make sure everything is where it should be. Your lips will get dry. Also, a pillow for the ride home. Put it between you and the seatbelt. Well, that's my 2 cents. Congrats on your impending surgery, you'll do great.

I think you are doing great! 35 pounds in awsome! Your body is probably adjusting from such a rapid loss. I second the excersise advice. It has so many benefits, weight loss just being one. Start out slow and gradually increase your duration/intensity. Also, I found watching carbs really helps. Lots of lean meat and veggies. I eat eggs most mornings for breakfast. One egg with the yolk and 3 others. I either scramble them in an olive oil spray or hard boil them. I snack on low fat cheese sticks and nuts (1/4 cup). Hope this helps and keep up the good work.

Glad everything went well. You are right, tiredness and soreness are to be expected. You should feel much better in a few days. Congratulations!

The first fill is large because the tubing needs to be filled. I didn't feel any restriction until the third fill. You are on your way, good luck.

I hope this next fill does it for you. Until then, I would focus on eating the right foods (low carb, low fat, high protien. Your portions may be larger than they will be once you have restriction, but at least you should stop gaining. Excersise is also a huge piece of the puzzle. It has so many benefits, jsut one being weight loss. I found it very difficult to start, but now it's just a matter of routine. Start out slow and gradually increase your intensity/duration. Best wishes.

I don't think you did anything to your band or pouch. I was on liquids for only a week. Then one week of mushies, then regualr food. I had no problems. I would call your doc. and see if they are ok with you moving on to mushies at least. Hang in there, it does get better.

I have all of a sudden gotten too tight a couple months after a fill. I would get a little taken out for sure. Are you doing protien shakes? I would do that until you can get in to see your doctor. Hope you feel better soon.

You are right, I was told carbonation stretches the pouch. I think a drink once in a while is fine. It would be good to factor it into your calories for the day. In mixed drihks I would avoid regular soda and juice. They both have lots of carbs and calories. Have fun.

You are doing great! Focus on the fact your in a smaller size, that means your shrinking! Seems like you are doing all the right things, the scale will reward you at some point, I hope it's sooner rather than later. I know lots of doctors advice against it, but I have always included snacks in my daily intake. I snack on low fat cheese, nuts (1/4 c) and berries. On those days your hungrier, I would go ahead and have a snack. I think you are probably buiding muscle due to all your excersise, muscle takes up less room on the body. Loosing fat but gaining muscle will cause you to shrink, but not for the scale to go down. Measuring yourself might be helpfull. That way you will have concrete numbers to compare, it will just be inches on your body rather than pounds on the scale.

Yes, I excersise 4-5 times a week, I am now up to 45 minutes on the treadmill. I warm up for 5 minutes, walk 1 minute, jog for 4 for 35, cool down for 5. It's called interval training and is suppossed to burn more that than staying at the intense part the whole time. I think the workouts are 1 key to my success, the othe is diet I eat very lean protien and non starchy veggies for meals. I snack on nuts (1/4 cup), low fat cheese and berries. I believe the low carb/ low fat/ high protien diet was key to my success. Thanks for asking and I hope it helps. Everyone needs to do what works for them, this is just what worked for me. The very basic is if you burn more calories than you take in, you will loose weight. Best wishes.

Hi there, 18 months out is kind of a milestone for me. I go to a "Vetrans" support group. The vets sit at a table and those less than 18 months sit around it. For the first hour it's just the vets, than they open it up to the whole group. The June meeting will be my first one at the table. I have done well with the band, lost 107 pounds in about 10 months. Right now, I keep my band very loose. I want to be able to eat Breakfast, whole grain breads and Pasta. I am still struggling with 5 pounds I gained. I was "bad" for almost 2 weeks. Not again, it just wasn't worth it. Hope you all are well and look forward to hearing your stories.

Try not to obsess about the scale, natural fucuations happen. Keep doing what your doing and it will pay off for sure. If you have pretty good restriction, a fill may not be necessary. Keep track of what you eat and how long you stay full so you and your doctor can decide what to do.

I would call your doc.s office. They should have an answering service, since its Sat. They can contact your doctor and hopefully he will prescribe something stronger for the pain. Everybody has a different pain tolerance, I don't think it means there is something wrong. However, it is probably a good idea to get checked out next week. Hope you feel better soon!

Personally, I don't think the fact you are consistanly loosing means you don't need a fill. My doc, gave ne fills even when I was loosing weight fairly quickly. I explained how much I was eating and what my hunger was like. You may want to keep some sort of journal and bring it with you. Good luck!

I too do decaf coffee during the day. It's nice to have something, I strongly advice you to give up the bread, I have found that way back on carbs really helps weight loss. I eat lots of lean meats and veggitabls. Nuts (1/4 cup) and low fat cheese for a snack. Until you get restriction, your portions may be larger than when you get it. Focus on eating the right foods- low carb, low fat, high protien. Good luck!

I know it feels like you should have lost more, but 8 pounds in 11 days is great! That is a rate of more than 4 pounds a week. I agree with the above post, try and stay off the scale for now. When I was loosing I weighed in once a week and recorded it. You don't want to be discouraged by the scale. If you are doing the right things, the scale will eventually show it. Congrats on your surgery!

It's MHO that there is really nothing that can be done about excess skin short of plastic surgery. What your skin does depends on age, if you have been pregnant, years of up and down weight, genetics. I was left with hanging skin around my stomach, face and arms. My boobs also deflated, to the point where they were pretty much just skin, and drooped. I have had a tummy tuck/boob job and a face lift. I am thrilled with the results. Taking a little break and then will get my arms done, probably at the end of the summer. Congrats on your impending surgery and best wishes.

I would call your doc.'s office and see if they can squeeze you in. Like said above, maybe he will see you inbetween surgeries or after. I think you need a slight unfill. In the mean time, I have found watered down shakes stay down when I have been too tight after a fill. Hope you feel better soon.

I went to a dermatologist because I was loosing my hair. He assured me I wouldn't go bald. He said your body goes into a kind of shock after rapid weight loss. Mine started about 6 months post op and lasted about 4 months. I was lucky to start out with a thick head of hair. If your worried, I would see a dermatologist, they know much more about stuff like this than PCP. Good luck!