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I'm FINALLY losing weight again! Think I've just not been tight enough. :-/

had my mental eval, consult with Nurse and Dietician yesterday! Starting month 2 of medically required weight loss...

It's been almost a month since surgery and I am finally feeling normal again! And the weight continues to drop off.

banded on 10/24/2011 current weight 195

174 today at my goal weight for my Birthday 12/22 new goal weight for Dec is 165

I leave for Saudi Arabia in the morning to see my sister! I really hope I come back with pounds lost and not gained! The scale has been holding at 186 for about 2 weeks now, and I really wanted to be in the 170's by now!!

i want to lose more weight and have been at a plateau for months !! i love the rest of me just not the stomache ... down 45 lbs why wont the other 45 go?

Weight as of Oct 31, 2011 176

I Had Lap Band In Aug 2007. I Have Losst About 73 Pounds. Just Recently Last Week I Went In For A Fill About 2--3 Days Later I Noticed I Had No Restriction And Could Eat Like I Did Before Procedure. I Went Back To The Fill Center Today I Had Gained Two Pounds And When She Aspirated The Band She Said The Amount Of Fluid That Was Suppoed To Be In THerE Was Not. She Then Took Me To X-ray And She Put In .65 Ccs And Said I Needed To Come Back Next Week. After Eating Lunch Today I Can Tell I Am Not Restricted At ALLl. What I Am Trying To Figure Out Is If Anyone Else Has Had These Problems. I Feel Like I May Have A Leak In The Band

Your fill level is how tight your band is and how well it restricts your eating. It takes a while to get to the right fill, then as you lose weight, you may need more (your stomach shrinks, etc). So, you ultimately determine what the correct fill level is. I wish there was a magic number!

Hi Jac. Our stats seem similar.. I am in st louis, I had my band on 4/15/08. I don't get my first fill until this coming Tues (5/27/08) I lost in the first two weeks and not much since then. I am trying to not gain but i feel as though I can pretty much eat what ever I want, although admittedly maybe not quite as much. I would love to keep in touch at least with out fills and all. what has happened since yours? good luck!!!

Wow! You look amazing!! I just read your post about your doctor wanting you to be in advertisements for the band. You are absolutely stunning and inspiration, I would go for it. I read a few of your blogs and saw that you struggled as well. Would you mind sharing with me how you got yourself on track....do you stick to a specific diet? do you allow yourself treats? I was banded on 3/26/08 and the weight isn't coming off as fast as I thought it would and I'm trying not to get discouraged....thank you for giving me hope to push forward. Carol

Sorry to hear about your NON-BANDING. My doctor lectured me at my last visit (I'm to be banded the 29th of May) how important it is to follow this diet to a T. You did and this still happened. I don't get it. May I ask you a coulple of personal questions? What is your BMI or weight? What was your pre-op diet like? I will keep you in my prayers. I can feel your pain. I am sorry for you.-Donita

Hi Anna,

I got my surgery done in Prague so i am ment to go there, but i know that the Beacon Hospital in Dublin does them for 300e each time. So u can get there number off google as i dont have it. No other place in Ireland would do it for me so i have actuallt learnt how to do it myself!!

brill on the weight loss... con-grads!!! how have u found everything???

Deb - I travelled from out of state (I'm in Nome, Alaska) last year for the surgery. The experience was great...I also recovered quite well (WAY better than my gallbladder removal and about the same as my 3 c-sections-which I thought were great).

Now...fills. Everyone is different. Some people think it's cheaper to just fly to Denver and see Dr. K for fills...since that's not feasable to me I found a doctor in Anchorage (still have to fly there). I think you should at LEAST find some aftercare in your area...someone you could go to in an emergency at least. There might even be a support group locally that would really be beneficial (although we've all found that most support groups are for the bypass folks). Fills are very individual. Some people find that "sweet spot" very quickly (within a couple of fills). I've had 5 fills (I'm at 3.4cc in a 4cc band) and could actually use more, but it's one of those things where you kind of get used to the fill then need more. Needle size vary...mine uses a teeny tiny needle, most use something bigger. No one really complains of the stick so if you're needle-shy this should be the LEAST of your worries!

Fluro - some fills docs use fluro and some don't. Dr. K doesnt...he just has you drink some water and fills you 'till that gets stuck then takes just a wee bit out...to make a kinda funnel-affect. (This is what I've heard, I haven't been to him for a fill.) My doc fills me at a level I want, he's very cautious and requires me to stay in town for a few days to make sure that everything is good to go. He has some fluro people available if there seems to be a problem. Fluro, I've heard, makes it so you ge to the sweet spot earlier because they can actually observe the liquid funnelling...but then, like I said earlier, you get used to the fill and need more so....I would say don't pay extra for it unless you are pretty darn sure there's a problem.

Unfills - done the same as a fill. Someimes your stomach will swell when you get a fill (from the irritation). This has not happened to me, and I think rarely happens anyway. This can cause you to not even be able to swallow spit...then an unfill is needed. Now, my doc in Anchorage lets me "tweak" my fill for a week without an extra charge so if I feel too tight (which has never been the case) he'd take some out or if I feel like I could use a bit more (which HAS happened) then he adds more. My doc also doesn't require me to drink liquids the day of and day after a fill - some do. I think it's better not to so you can really see how the fill did for you.

I was on the fill thread for a bit, but it didn't give as much information as I'm giving you here.

The hardest part of aftercare is really that it's all up to you and how YOU feel. I, like LapDancer, am a food adict and am working on that - working on even accepting that. The band hasn't cured me of everything, but on bad days it does stop me from being super gluttonous! I'm at a state now that if I lose weight I now I won't gain it back.

Also...a friend of mine had the Band put in a few years ago. She reached goal in about 1 1/2 years and then got a complete unfill...she lost 10 more lbs. and has maintained that without filling up...just letting the band "sit there". Now, there's some hope for us!

send me some pics of your weight loss.

Thank you, ma'am! Well I went and my pouch is healed, the band corrected itself, and they put 3.2 CC's back in my band...so I am in fantastic shape! No, I didn't gain...in fact, I lost two pounds! So I won't have any more put back in...I'm enjoying eating again, and my exercise is such that I know I will make it to goal without all that fill.

Today is day one for your diet, right? What is the diet, anyhow? Doing okay so far?

Yay for tall women!!! I am 5'10. Please keep in touch with your weight loss.

Hey...I noticed that you and I have the same fill/band and also close in age AND about 4 weeks difference in pregnancy. Congrats!! I am 19 weeks now. I posted on one board about not feeling the baby move. Have you felt yours yet? Also, I am thinking that I will not get my band unfilled. My doc said to just come back whenever I felt like I needed it, but I have not had any trouble eating..in fact, I have sorta ditched the rules on eating/drinking together, and have been able to eat quite a lot. I have only gained about 5 lbs. since getting pregnant, though, but I am scared if I get my band unfilled that I will just eat way too much. Anyway, sometimes I get cramps/pains that I am not sure what it is...drinking/eating....the baby...who knows. Nothing has been considerable or lasted too long, though. I hope your pain has subsided or at least you found out what it was!

Melissa

Hello! How was Michigan? Did you have a great Mother's Day? I have an appointment on Wednesday to see the doc for the first time. I'm so excited! Plus I leave to El Paso for 10 days for work. I'll be climbing up tanks and so I'm afraid I'll end up losing some weight. Crazy! I hope I don't! Ha! Anyhooo! Have a great week! Ciao!

Hey Fenton -

I wanted to drop you a line. It seems from your posts we might have a lot in common. I too have over 200 pounds to lose. However, I am just starting the process; my class is tomorrow afternoon.

I am hopig to find somebody in a similiar situtation who I can chat with for support. If you are interested shoot me an e-mail. I wasnt able to gather much info from your profile, except weight, post banding, and I think you might be a writer. I am actually still in college, but I am a budding young writer.

Anyway if you what to set up a buddy system that would be great, if not, no worries. Take care and good luck.

Hi Shawna;

Alicia here. How are you doing? Congratulations on your surgery date, May 28th!!! I'm sure that as that date gets closer and closer the more excited you are, I know I was for mine. So far I'm stuck at 205 lbs. lost 25 though, had to hide my scale...uugh...but I tell myself that since I'm exercising more I must be losing fat but gaining muscle. I go in for a 3rd. fill on May 27th. I hope that helps! Anyway let me know how you are doing. I'll have you in my prayers on the 28th. Dr. Bhoyrul is awesome and Scripps

green is a state of the art facility so I'm sure everything will be fine. Good luck, Alicia

Hi Debbie, I too would want to know more of your experience. I am at my wits end and am totally ready to have this done. I have looked at many doctors offering this service in Mexico and it sounds very tempting. Although I have my concerns, I have read testimonials but would love some reassurance from someone like you who has recently experienced. I also will be a self pay since my insurance does not cover "ANY" weight loss surgery. So if you dont mind me asking as well about costs. If not, I surely understand. Thanks!

Hey Rubyjade,

I'm also from your side of the woods! Bellingham Washinton (about an hour and a half north of seattle). I was wondering where you got banded? I'm going to be banded at North West Weight Loss Surgery on May 20th. I figured since you are from Everett there is a chance you were banded there as well! I'ed love to hear about your expearence! Thanks so much,

Marine

I read you have had some hard times loosing. I am only 3 weeks post in the first 2 weeks I lost 10 but in the 3rd week I am eating solid foods and I have gained 2 back. I wanted to ask did you have problems like this or are your problems different? I hope after a fill I do better.