reverie

Congrats!! Before you know it the final 98 will be gone.

At 4 weeks post-op you may still be a little swollen. Until about 6-weeks your body is still healing and getting used to the band. I too had restriction from surgery and today I still have it, without any fill. While I'm not extremely tight at anytime/date, I can eat 3/4 cup to 1 cup of food and be satisfied. So, while you may be like me and have restriction from surgery and not need a fill until later on, you could just be healing still. The stomach is a pretty sensitive organ so swelling up to 6-weeks post op is not rare! Give it a week or two more and see how you feel then, though it's nice to have restriction off the bat!

Just like your doctor said, this is to be expected. You probably aren't too far out from surgery and you should really remember that for the first 6 weeks, your weight will fluctuate. The weight gain is usually only temporary, so it's not much to worry about. You're healing after a major surgery and weightloss should not be your main goal right now. As hard as it is, you should really focus on healing and giving your body the time it needs. Yes it's nice to see the scale move down, but you can't expect your body to continue to shed weight after something so serious. Give it time. Besides, plenty of things can tip the scale in the opposite direction. Walk, eat properly, drink your water, and get your protein in and the scale will move. If you're on the scale each day, I suggest to only weigh yourself a few times a week, in the morning, naked. Good luck.

Good luck and congrats on starting your journey! :cursing:

Though it's never a bad idea to read the failure stories, you need to somehow in your mind make them into something positive. I read them before my surgery in May, and yeah, it did scare me. Yes some people do gain their weight back, yes the band doesn't work for some people, but in the end it all comes down to you. In some cases the band does fail people, ie. a slip occurs, erosion, etc. but many times that is due to their own negligence. You have to be ready and willing to change and to conform to the rules of the band. That means eating properly, exercising, taking your vitamins, and knowing when you're too tight. The band is enough, but it all depends on how you work it and how ready you are for it. No matter what WLS you get, there are failures. Lapband, sleeve, gastric bypass, people fail at all of them. If you're ready and willing to make the lifestyle change, I think you'll do fine. Besides, even when people do gain weight back, the band is always there. One can easily choose to go back to following the rules. That's the joy of WLS.

It's not sliming; that happens when food gets stuck and can't go down. Just try to walk as much as you can and use more Gas-X. It'll get better soon.

I think it definitely does! Mine was really off before I lost weight, now it's seemed to regulate itself more. It also doesn't last for the full 5-7 days anymore.

Too many to name really! 6. Building up some confidence; probably my main problem. 5. Down 2 sizes in shirts/almost in size 14 jeans (woot!) 4. A LOT more energy. I love exercising now. 3. My rings (class ring/ring I usually wear) are falling off 2. I can see the difference in my body 1. Compliments! From wow you look good, you're doing great, you look beautiful, etc. Funniest of all, my boss telling me "no offense at all, I don't know how to say this properly, but you're going to have one hell of a figure." I so love my band.

You could be one of the lucky ones! I'm in the same boat. I went in for my first fill about a month or so back and told my surgeon I'm not hungry at all and I had lost a lot more weight since surgery. He made a comment that I'm doing better than a bypass patient. Who knows! I'm still losing today, without a fill, though I've hit some plateaus, but they're to be expected. Good luck!

If you're throwing up and eating nothing but slider foods, you NEED an unfill. At 9ccs in a 10cc band, you're probably too tight. You could really be damaging your band if you're throwing up each day. You may want to get that checked out. But before you can do that, I'd say find a closer doctor. There is a California forum here, you may want to ask there for a quality LA surgeon. You started off with a great loss and you can easily get back on the wagon. Find a good doctor to talk with and explain what's going on. Be sure to get a small unfill and see if that helps with the throwing up. Don't give up on yourself or the band! It obviously worked for you in the beginning, so start over and get back to losing. Falling back onto drugs/drinking is never the answer to anything.

It's very common and it'll go away within a few weeks. Keep in mind the port was sewn to your muscle. There's going to be some pain/discomfort as your body adjusts to the new "thing" in your body.

Welcome back and congrats on making the effort to get back on the wagon! Since you've been banded for 2.5 years, you know the band rules. Start to follow them again. Go back to the beginning and start fresh. If you know what you're doing wrong (snacking, eating too much, not exercising, etc.) work on that first. Definitely start tracking what you eat. There are a lot of programs online you can use; fitday.com is a good one. Make sure you're getting all of your protein! Go back to bars/shakes if you have to. Protein, more so the dense kind, will keep you full for longer, so focus on lean meats like fish, turkey, chicken, etc. If you need a fill, by all means get one! Make sure you're exercising at least 3-4 times a week and drinking all of the water that you need. Good luck!

Yep! Since surgery I've had great restriction and I love it. A cup of food, if not less, fills me completely for hours. Sometimes in the morning (when I first wake up) my stomach will growl, so I've started to eat a Protein bar in the morning since I'm up so early, but other then that, I'm doing well and never really feeling hungry. I had an issue with the weightloss stopping too. Gotta love plateaus. I was eating around 500-700 calories a day and losing really well, but I added in exercise and stayed at the same calorie level. I actually gained a few pounds. So now I'm eating 850-950 calories a day, depending on my exercise (switches from cardio to sculpting/weights), and I hope to eventually bump it up to 1000 calories + especially if the weightloss stops. Good luck with your fill! Try mixing up your calories/exercise and see if it jump starts the scale. Congrats on your weightloss as well! :thumbup:

Woo hoo. Everyone says fills are painless. Glad it went well. I haven't gotten to experience one. (not sure if that's good or not lol!)

Congrats and have fun treating yourself!! You've done awesome.

Congrats on being banded and even more congrats on the weight you've lost! :thumbup:That's an awesome amount and I doubt you are losing too fast. As for the gas pains, walk walk walk and take Gas-X strips. They both helped greatly and I believe by the end of week 1 the gas pains were minimal to none. As for the next few weeks..focus on healing! Take things slow and be sure to stick to your post-op diet. Drink as much water when you can. Be careful on bending especially because it really does hurt. You'll have pain near your port incision for awhile. Good luck!

First and foremost, you mention a lifestyle change/routine. That is exactly what the band helps you form; your own healthy lifestyle with healthy routines to help you lose/maintain your weight. You're only 2 weeks out, and you've lost 13lbs. That is a great loss! Do you remember the last time you've lost 13lbs and kept it off? Also keep in mind that you're still healing. Right now you need to focus on allowing you body to heal properly. The point is, you can't compare yourself to others. Some lose faster, some lose slowly, but we all get to the same end point eventually. Keep in mind people with a lot more to lose often lose quicker, but in the end it all evens out. I started weighing myself each day, about 10 times a day, and I can say it's not a healthy habit. Stop getting on the scale each day if it's something you do. I only now weigh myself on Sundays, which is my rest day from exercising. The scale is not the only way to measure success. Measure yourself: waist, hips, arms, etc. and compare in the measurements in a few weeks. Look at how your clothes are fitting. Good luck with your journey and remember yours is entirely your own. You make of it what you want it to be. Exercise, eat right, and get your fills when you need them (when that time comes) and you'll be successful. There's always someone here to help you if you hit a roadblock though. :thumbup:

A LOT of clothes Never thought I'd drop from a size 20 to a size 16 and from size XXL shirts to XL shirts in such a short time period! And of course, some bad habits.

Stick to warm liquids for a day. You may just be very swollen from surgery. If you're still having issues, its best to call your surgeon for some advice. If he prescribed you anti-nausea pills, those may help. Good luck!

I usually try to eat dinner around 5:30PM then nothing but water after. It all depends really. I try to eat no later then 3 hours within my bed time, though I'm breaking that rule today because I just woke up from a 5 hour nap. :redface: Oops.

Most of the time people with a slipped band don't have any symptoms. But, some people will get heartburn, will have trouble eating/keeping down solids. If you're worried you can always consult your doctor. As for diet sodas, some people can tolerate them, some people don't drink them, others aren't allowed to. My surgeon did not want us drinking soda, which I am plenty fine with. The carbonation can mess with the band, but for others soda is completely okay. Again, consult your doctor.

Congrats everyone! 231lbs lost, that's awesome Scale hasn't been doing much for me, but down another pants size.

Probably not. Your BMI is 28.7. Most doctors will only operate on those with a BMI of 35 and up. If you lose 22lbs you'll be in the normal range.

You just had a big life change. Cut yourself some slack, but not too much! Praise yourself for getting back into the gym when life allowed you to do so, especially in an entirely new environment. I, to this day, don't have the guts to go to a gym! If you're still eating more than you need to, get another fill when possible. It's all a head/control game until you have restriction. Since you're going for slider foods, stop buying them. Keep them out of the house. It's never bad to treat yourself once inawhile, but don't make them an everyday thing. As for protein, up your meat content if you can, or go back to protein shakes/protein bars. Both work great. I've been eating 1/2 of a South Beach Diet protein bar in the morning to help push me past 60g. I also use hemp seed in my food (like sesame seed) which is 11g protein per 2 tbsp! Can't beat it. In all, I think you're doing good for someone who just had a big life change. 65lbs is a great loss, and once you get back on the wagon, you'll be losing even more. :scared2:

19. :scared2: