Tulip

Tonya, gosh, if you can find some exercise with brace and crutch, then I should find something I can do too. I guess with upper arms mostly. I have a small tear in ligament in left knee, and my doc wants me off of it as much as possible for another 3 weeks. I'm trying to avoid surgery. Anyone have any chair exercises they want to tell me about?

Tonya, Glad you are back and posting here. Please let me know how you do with your next fill. I'm not sure if I need another fill or just a knock in the head. I do PB if I take too big a bite or don't chew enough. Because of that I am worried about another fill. Yet, I can eat a lot if I chew enough. What do you think I should do. Wait it out?

Tracy, When did you have your last fill? Have you had problem with PB? I'm afraid of getting more of a fill because when I don't eat right I do PB, and then sometimes I can eat all I want. What do you think? Should I try for more?

I hear ya about the other thread... I noticed that my size changes when my pounds do Not. Like I will lose a few pounds, but wear the same size. Then while in plateau, my size goes down. I like losing inches, but watching the pounds is hard habit to quit. My plateau lately has resulted in NO pounds lost and NO inches lost. Drats! I keep coming here hoping for motivation. At least I'm not gaining.

Hi Enterprise, I'm so glad you have started feeling better. A little retail therapy and seeing a size 12 is awesome! You have really done well and are close to goal. Congratulations! Who is your ps appointment with? I am considering starting those consults but don't have much resouces on ps docs. As I have lost weight, the start came from my belly but lately it seems I have lost my butt! I would love to take all the excess from my boobs, lower belly and have that injected to my behind. Sorry to be graphic, but.... (no pun intended). Glad to have you back here on board.

I followed the link here to see if everyone has found this new thread. Hope more join us. As for food choices, I need some help too. I haven't lost a pound in a while. I need a jumpstart. I think the restriction is fine, but my choices are not the best. Terry

Same here, went from 42DD to 38 DD. Lots of extra skin, and droopy. sorry but that is the truth.

I wondered how much fill it takes to get to sweet spot. I have a 2.6 fill and can eat too much, and most anything after 7:00pm, but before then I might PB if I eat anything other than Soup. I don't think another fill would help, but I'm not sure. What about the rest of you?<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

FSC, hope you are feeling much better. Thanks for this thread, I hope to have PS surgery within a year. Please do keep us updated on your progress.

Maria, congrats on finding your clothes hanging off of you. I can relate to your comments about wanting bigger clothes to hide behind before surgery. Now I feel that the bigger clothes don't show my weight loss as well as clothes that really fit. Sula, is their any exercise involved in riding? I would think there would be some since you are physically involved and are not sitting at TV as couch potato. Speaking of TV, I didn't realize that Dancing started tonight, and I missed it. Drats! I've have to catch up tomorrow night. Where are the rest of our January bandsters? I would be interested to find out how much/many fills we have had. Does anyone feel like they are at their sweet spot? I found out last Friday that I have a small tear in knee ligament and am not able to walk for about 4 weeks. I really know that exercise is the key at this point for me, and am torn between wanting an excuse not to exercise, and really wanting to continue to exercise. I bet that doesn't make a lick of sense. Terry

Shawn, thanks for the reminder about Protein. That may be what is behind my hunger problem. I find it so easy to eat a salad and then feel full, that I probably don't get enough protein in each day. I haven't been able to walk this week because of a bum knee. I have no idea what I did to injure it, but it has hurt for about the past week. since Monday I noticed some swelling at night, and then last night it was huge! I went to my doctor today and he said I have a slight tear in a ligament. no walking for a few weeks, and I have to come back to see him in 3 weeks. I've never had a knee injury before and can't imagine how I did this. Anyway, I am going to miss my morning walks. I hope I can manage to maintain my weight without gaining. Terry

Enterprise, I am sorry that you are feeling the pain of losing your cat. I am worried about losing my own and keep trying to keep him as comfortable as possible. Right now he doesn't appear to be in pain, but I'm not sure about quality of life issues. You shouldn't fret over truffles, allow yourself to grieve your loss at this time. You can get back on track later. RMS I was so surprised to find my clothes getting too loose when I thought I was on a plateau. Now that I have pulled out some clothes for cooler weather, I realize that I don't have anything to wear when the first cold front comes through. I started out at size 20, and when I went to buy a pair of jeans this past weekend, I purchased a size 12! I don't feel that thin, and wonder if the new "stretch" jeans are responsible for this size. I haven't worn a 12 in so long I don't remember when it was! Sherilynn, your pizza eating sounds so similar to what I do. Not pretty for those around me. I had a strange day for my eating habits. I woke up hungry! I am not used to that because I usually am so tight in the mornings and don't usually get hungry until late afternoon. Because I was hungry I had a string cheese - no problem. At lunch I ate a small portion of salad with 2 meatballs. All that went down just fine. Around 3:30 I was hungry again! I am definitely not used to that at all. I made a really bad decision to get 2 chicken nuggets and tried to chew them to mush. Then I started to slime and PB and was miserable. I don't understand why I felt hungry so soon after lunch. For dinner I had Soup and stopped to be safe. But I am hungry again now. What is going on? Enterprise, as far as Protein Snacks, today was not a good description of my usual routine. Most of the time, I sometimes eat one piece of thinly sliced turkey lunch meat, or a Profect bullet. Profect is a low calorie Protein Drink that is like 3 oz and it comes in several flavors. It is available on the internet at protica.com. It is kinda pricey, but usually when I need a snack it will take care of the munches. What do you think made me so hungry today and then to get so tight I PB'd? I was afraid I had lost all restriction, and now I am not sure. I guess my band is just finicky. Where are the rest of our January bandsters? I wish all of you would drop in and give an update.

Ahh, Sula, leave the pizza for me! I did have pizza, but only ate the topping and left the crust behind. I felt like I was sipping on a pizza, and just enjoying the flavors. Mushrooms do cause me problems. The things that I absolutely must avoid are tamales and scrambled eggs. I just can't do those at all without suffering. So I guess the band does work. Let's keep this thread on the top.

Ok, I have to comment, but with a chuckle behind my covered mouth. I tried Alli when it was prescription only, 2 different times, (Xenical) and never completed one month's supply. I just wasn't in to wearing adult diapers. I got the band because I didn't want another diet scheme. Now with my latest plateau, well I might try it. But Alli has such bad sde effects, I'm not sure that is the answer for me. And I don't go to Sonic.

Sula, thanks for moving us back to the first page. I don't understand why some weeks I gain a pound after practically eating nothing, then lose after I expected a gain. My band is fickle, and sometime it seems too tight, then other times I feel like I must have lost all restriction. Breakfast - I usually just have a protein drink, or nothing. I don't begin to feel hungry until about 2-3 in the afternoon. I know that is bad, and that I shouldn't skip breakfast, but sometimes I do. Enterprise, I am an animal lover and feel your pain. I am close to the same stage with my dog, and my cat is 15 years old. I hope you are able to accept the situation that is best for your cat and yourself. I'll be thinking of you. I'd like to hear from the rest of you, help to keep this thread up on top.

Hi Kacee and Terri, I'm looking forward and hoping that I will be interested in PS sometime late next year or 2. I looked up John LoMonaco and he did seem to get good results on Big Medicine. I saw on another message board that he offers free seminars once a month (kinda like Dr. Spivak). I didn't get to go, but would love to hear what he has to say. At 53 years old, I have the problems of gravity combined with weight loss. So I'm ready for some researching. I read article in Good Housekeeping this month about Medical Tourism, and how some surgery centers abroad are just as competant as US surgery centers. I don't know how to research and find out the good ones, but the cost is about 75% less than US. Please keep me in the loop. Terry

I would check with your doctor before you ever attempt to gain weight. At my doctor's seminar he mentioned that he does NOT want anyone to gain 5 or so pounds just to qualify for insurance approval. In my own case, I met all the criteria for my insurance except for one. My BMI had to be over 35 (with my co-morbidities) for at least 5 years. My BMI dipped below 35 about 4 years ago, and I was refused approval because I did not meet the 5 year history rule. I could have waited another year and would qualify then (unless my insurance policy changes). Instead I went the self-pay route and am so glad I did that. My blood tests, medications and general health have improved greatly since getting the band. Please check with your doctor. and welcome!

Congratulations on your success with the lap band! You are such a great example of the results that we all want to achieve. Do you have any tips or suggestiions for those of us that are at 6-9 months post op? I'm currently at a plateau and feel really frustrated. I would be thrilled to lose more weight before my band-anniversary. Congratulations again! Terry

Welcome to Band Land! I remember being swollen for several days, and feeling full after just a few spoonfuls of soup broth. My doctor recommended liquids at the beginning and then soft foods after a few days. That hiccup is the signal that you are full. STOP at that point. You are still swollen and need to allow your body time to recuperate from surgery. Even after months following surgery your body will give you signal that you are full and to stop eating/drinking. For me the hiccup is the first sign. congratulations for recognizing the signals your body is giving you. Slow and Easy - keep this motto. Congrats on joining the losers at this forum.

Hi Nicole, I can relate to your comments about gaining with every diet. Good luck on your approval process. Do you have an idea how long the approval process will be? Keep coming here to read and gain as much information as you can before banding. Terry

Denise, Getting a leak is a big fear of mine. Did you notice the loss of restriction during the fill or after you were home? Was the fill done with fluoroscope? Did they use saline or omnipacque Do you have any restriction at all? Please let us know what you find out on Friday. I'll be thinking of you, Terry

Kat, Welcome! Let us know what you thought about the orientation meeting. That is great that your DH is supporting you and attending the meeting. I thought it was good for my DH to hear the same things and learn about the band so that he could help support me after banding. Terry

Congratulations and welcome to the losers side. How are you feeling? Take care of yourself and allow yourself to heal for the full time your doctor recommends. Terry

Hi Audree, It's me your fellow January bandster and low BMI'er, hitting a plateau for the last few weeks. I think you look great and should feel proud that you are maintaining as well as you have been. Please do report back on the QuickSlim. I have had a few episodes of PB'ing when I don't take small enough bites, or chew as much as I should. I keep a stash of plastic grocery bags in my car for those "just in case" times. I actually did use one on one occasion and was glad I had those (and some wipes) with me. At my doctor's office they have told me that the last 20 pounds will be the slowest and most difficult. Following my l;ast small fill I lost maybe a couple of pounds right away, and then after that, then nothing for a while. Still, I'm happy that I am not gaining. I really think I could lose some more if I could get motivated to exercise routinely. I see some of my old habits creeping back in - forgetting to drink lots of water and eating too many easy foods. I do appreciate my wonderful band that keeps me from being able to eat too much of regular food. I just can't eat the big portions that I used to be able to eat in one setting. It is great to hear from you and the rest on this board. Keeps me encouraged. Terry

Your complication doesn't sound minor to me. Ouch! Please let us know how your port adjustment surgery goes. I hope this is a simple procedure and that you feel better soon. I have had "twinges" in the port area, but not what I consider pain. During my last fill under fluoroscope, they looked at my band, but I don't think they really looked at the port area. Hmmm, makes me wonder. She was able to find my port on the first stick, so I don't think it has flipped. Did they have trouble finding the spot for your fills? Your weight loss and results are fantastic! I'm sure you will be at goal in no time at all.! Terry