summer134

Yeah they're really not that bad! Congrats on your weight loss this far before your first fill. You probably won't get a lot of restriction from your first fill -- it will take a couple to find the sweet spot. Best of luck!!

Congratulations to you!! Awesome job -- quite the inspiration!!

I got my last fill in July and have a feeling it was too tight. Most of the time I would eat I would end up throwing up. It didn't matter if it was moist chicken or Soup. I would end up in the bathroom each time I would eat. Overall I wasnt happy and my weight loss was at a stand still. I was scared to go in for an unfill as I had lost 70 pounds and was happy with that and was afraid if I got an unfill that meant that I wouldn't have any restriction. Finally, I got over myself. I joined a gym five weeks ago and started with a personal trainer twice a week. I went in and got just a small unfill. I can't express how good of a feeling it is to eat my lunch and not have to run to the bathroom! And I'm feeling better, healthier, and overall happier. Just a note to say how thankful I am this holiday season for my band!! Can't wait to see how the weight loss continues in 2012!! Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Congratulations on your great weight loss!! It might be slow compared to others, but great in the overall scheme of things! My weight loss also has been fairly slow, but I am elated with it! Makes you thankful coming into the holiday season for such a great thing to happen for us all! Enjoy the holidays and the feeling of continued weight loss in the new year!

Even though you got an unfill, you're still probably swollen from throwing up, etc. Just try to relax. Sip water VERY slowly and see if it gets better. Just stay in touch with your doctor if it's not getting better,

Keeping the head caught up is so difficult! Even when other people comment about weight we've lost, it's still so hard to realize it ourselves. Pictures are a great way to see the difference, just like everyone has said. Whatever you decide to do -- just keep positive thoughts going. 50 pounds lost is a GREAT achievement! Awesome work!

Awesome job! Keep up the great work! NSV's really help along the way!

Such a difficult part of the healing ... it will get better. Just keep getting as much protein in as you can and drink water in between meals to try to get that "full" feeling. You may or may not be losing weight -- I gained when I got to the mushie stage. But know that things will get better! Stick with it!!

I've been busy at work today and went to write the date and finally realized that one year ago today I had my band put in! Wow, what a difference a year makes. There are so many things that I've learned about working the band and about myself in the last year. I have fully reasoned that having this surgery isn't the cure-all. It will help, but you have to help yourself to make it work. I lost weight pretty quickly at first then went on a long plateau where I was slipping back into old habits. However, the last few weeks I have recommitted and am feeling great. My husband and I are going on a cruise in March (guess it's officially our honeymoon nine years later!) and I want to be able to do all the activities I want with no regard for weight. I've lost 71.3 pounds and I feel great about that! I know I have a long ways to go, and know had I stayed on track I could have weighed less now, but I realize it's a journey and that there will be ups and downs. And it's so nice starting to feel comfortable with myself. I was at a public pool yesterday, walking in a swimsuit, which is something I haven't done in 15 years. Sure I still felt uncomfortable around the tiny tan girls in their bikinis, but it was still a great feeling to be there with my family enjoying the day. So there's my story ... one year in. I can't wait to see where I'm at this time next year! Have a great day everyone -- I know I am!!

Congrats! Man you look GREAT! What an inspiration for myself and others!!

Awesome job! Congrats on your great loss so far! I did the same thing when the first week I got banded -- I had tickets to an Aerosmith concert and there was no way I was going to miss it. So I went, and got very sick to my stomach and shaky. It makes sense about the blood sugar thing. Just keep on your diet and drinking water. Great job on the exercise! It's such a great feeling being able to already do more than you used to be able to! )

Awesome! Congrats and keep up the great work!

Checking in at 276.4 ... up 1.2 pounds from last week. Ugh ... dang TOM. ( Still working on it though!!

Wow girl, you can totally tell the difference!! Great job ... keep up the good work!

Checking in today at 275.2 ... down 4.6 pounds from last week. And better than that, the lowest I've been in two months. I printed off a menu and have been following it all week and joined a gym today so hoping I can continue to move in the right direction!!

Congratulations!! It's such a great feeling to see the scale go down ... especially 9 pounds in one week! Woo Hoo! Keep up the great work!!

My goodness you've been through so much. I'm glad to hear that you're in therapy and think that is helping, It's had to have been such a difficult thing for you. I hope that things continue to heal properly and that you get back to where you want to be. Positive thoughts are being sent your way ...

Congratulations and best of luck in your journey!! )

Checking in today at 279.8 ... gained exactly what I lost last week (2.4 lbs). I figured for a gain as I was on vacation and ate more than usual. However, I'm contemplating a fill. I haven't had one in about four months and am getting that feeling back of getting hungry soon after eating and not getting full as I'm feeling, However, I still get things stuck if I'm not careful. Perhaps a small fill will be the difference. And I'm looking at joining a gym. I got asked this week to be in a wedding in four months and I'd like to be down more by then.

Checking in today (6/8) at 277.4 ... down 2.4 pounds for the week! Still not getting the water in that I need to be ... going to go get some right now!

Hi all! I'm needing some accountability and would love to be part of this group!! Good luck in June to everyone!! Name, real or screen~ summer134 Age~ 31 Weight on June1st~ 279.8 Goal Weight for June 29th~ 269 pounds Exercise Goal for June~ Just to start exercising again .... I haven't in months. I'm going to start small with walking and add on to that! Dietary Goal for June~ Drink more Water ... I haven't been drinking nearly enough at work or at home. Want to drink more at both! Personal Goal for June~ I'm flying next month ... want to lose as much weight/inches before then. No seat belt extensions please! Date Banded~ August 11, 2010 Total Weight Loss Since Banding~ 65.9 pounds

What a great post and an even better accomplishment!! Thanks for the 15 things you've learned -- you're an amazing success story. Congratulations!!

I don't know how different doctors do it, but I wasn't prepared for my first fill. I thought it would happen laying down -- I laid down, he gave the local anesthetic shot then put the big needle into the port. Then he asked me if I was ready to stand up. Ready to what?!? Umm ... incase you forgot, there's a huge needle sticking out of me! He wanted me to stand up to go over to the xray machine so he could watch the barium that I swallowed go down. One drink to see current restriction, put in the fluid for the fill, then drink again to see if it was adjusted the right amount. Then laid back down to take the needle out. Again, not sure if that's just my doctor or others. But wish I would have known that going in!! Good luck!!

I literally just googled "high Protein menu samples" or "menu ideas for high protein diets" and tons of samples came up. This last week I followed a 1200/day calorie diet from http://www.how-to-best-lose-weight.com/1200-calorie-diet.html Hopefully this will help some of you else out!! Here's to another good week!! )

After being within in the same five pounds for nearly two months, I took a stand two weeks ago. I realized I was starting to slip back into bad habits ... eating things that I shouldn't be and justifying it -- if I only have a little bit, it won't be that bad. I used to eat a lot more than this. Drinking more than I should be. Not exercising. Just getting very lazy about losing weight. And it was showing. My weight would be up a pound or two, then down a pound, then up a couple more. Things weren't going the way that they should. So I printed off menus online for high protein diets. I've been following them for two weeks. I haven't been cheating like I had been. And it's paying off. Finally things are going the right way again. In the past two weeks I've lost 12 pounds!! It's great! And the best part is, is that it's re-energized me! It's made me want to really focus on this lifestyle again! I'VE LOST 72 POUNDS!! I just want to shout that from the rooftops! And although that's great, I know I have a long ways to go. I think that I'm ready to move on to that next step now. I'm about three and half months out from my one year bandiversary. I don't want to set myself up for any type of failure in thinking that I would reach 100 pounds gone by then. But I'm really going to work as hard as I can to see how close I can get! Thanks to everyone for listening! This board has been such an integral part of my weight loss -- even though I don't post a lot, I read daily. And your successes and struggles help me get through mine as well!!