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Nat - Have a small unfill, believe me you will appreciate the difference it makes. I don't think your situation is normal in any way. I think you would be better to be on the safe side rather than to slime in the middle of the night. I had a 0.6ml unfill yesterday (2nd unfill since last fill 5 weeks ago- What the!)and at least I can get more down now. I feel better. I had lost 4kg in the last 5 weeks which is too much (but a good loss nonetheless) as in the last week I wasn't eating much. Here's to a better outlook.

Congratulations!!! I have found that being positive all the time is the biggest help for me. On days when I realize I have snacked a little too much, I just start again the next day with new resolve and I have completely stopped beating myself up over anything. Staying positive only means changing the neg thoughts that show up into positive ones. It is hard at first but it completely works. Weight loss is better, pain is less noticeable and food is easier to manage. You can do it!! Hugs!!!!

HI @@rking! Sorrry you are about to hit a blizzard. nice to see you are eating solid foods. On what date was your surgery again? Mine was on Nov 17th, and I have been eating solid foods for about 10 days now. My weight loss is also slowing down. I probably need more calories because I have been walking for about 40-50 minutes a week also. Anyway I love to eat the Starkist Thai tuna that comes in a pouch. It is really good. Keep warm.

Noooo, never did you offend me. I just had a different experience. I married a Lady who thought the Gym and weight loss would steal me. She never changed--even with our divorce. It's ok--I am long gone from the Coast. I am on my way--I am about to call my Drs office now to see what's up with the appointments. I am hoping that once that is done--I am going to excited beyond what I ever expected. My Mom is not too keen on the idea. But then again--we're southerners and think-(she thinks) if I lose weight with this lap band--I may get too small or too skinny. She herself used to be about 250 at 5'2". She finally went on that liguid diet and went to a size 16--not bad. But from time to tme she gains weight and has to set aside many of the things she eats. "Oh well" I said. I will be small due to the 'Co-mobidity" factors. I use the face my younger brother of 46 is going through kidney failure. Then te fact of Luther Vandross, Gerald Levert and Barry White--big names--Big guys--major problems all caused them go to the grave far too early. No one made it to he age of 60--such a shame that many Men and black Men in general will not go to a Drs office. With the fear that--whatever is going to happen-will happen. Suhc a fools ways of taking care of himself as well as his life-span....

Is there anyone that has to take Coumadin because of a blood clot after the sleeve. Is this medication causing weight gain. After sleeve I was losing fairly quickly and then developed a blood clot. Now that I'm taking Coumadin, the scale will not move and i haven't lost anything in roughly 4 weeks. Is this a regular stall so soon after surgery or could it be the medication? Is anyone else in my situation? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi there -- Does anyone else experience inconsistency regarding tightness of the band? I was banded in February, have a had a few fills, one unfill, and then a slight refill. I am very happy with my weight loss, and usually, with my level of restriction, but lately it has been very strange ... one day, I can eat almost anything and the next day I am extremely tight and barely able to do Soup. When I do PB, it is not a feeling of immediate relief. For example, today I had a few bites of chicken for lunch ... some thing I have eaten dozens of times without problem. I could tell that today was a tight day so I stopped as soon as it felt "off" and sure enough, have been miserable for about 4 hours. I PBed once and that helped slightly, but I still feel miserable. It was like this on Saturday, but yesterday was fine. Any advice? I do not want to live on soup, but almost getting to the point of being scared to eat. Any thoughts or advice? Thanks. Cynthia

:thumbup: I am sorry to hear you got so sick after your surgery, hopefully that is all past now. You have lost weight I am happy for you. I do not seem to be loosing any weight. Sounds like you just had a bad start but are now on the road to weight loss. I just had surgery June 27th. I told the doctor I get sick to my stomach after surgery so they gave me one of the pads you stick behind your ear, the kind you get before you go on a cruise so you don't get sea sick. I did not get sick! My granddaughters had come to visit so i did not get to relax too much the first couple days. The 4th day i was miserable. Too much, too soon I am sure. Just took it easy the next day. My concern is that I am not loosing any weight. I have lost almost 2 pounds in 6 days. I feel hungry most of the time.

Your rate of weight loss will slow at times, and even reach "plateaus" occasionally, where you can remain compliant with your diet and not see the scale move for a week or more. As long as you remain compliant with your surgeon's instructions, and continue with your exercise, the weight will come off. As I've often mentioned, this journey has taught me a life skill which eluded me for years, patience. Try to remember that you did not gain your weight in a short span of time, so it is not realistic to expect that you will loose it rapidly. Best wishes...

I use this forum as my support group, as I don't have any hospital-affiliated support group. I come on here every day and I always find it renews my dedication to my mission towards weight loss and better health. It's like a continually-inspiring support team on demand! I stick with the successful bandsters and learn from their choices...what led them to success, what are their challenges, tips and strategies. I do not read weight loss blogs of dieters whose methods are futile or whose mindsets are not like my own. This would put my own motivation at risk, as it might possibly allow me to justify some non-band compliant behaviors.

Apple1 - I see you have a total of about 50 pounds of weight to lose from beginning to end. That is my situation as well. I am approved for surgery due to back issues with the desired loss to be about 50 pounds. Do you have any words of wisdom for a fellow 50 pounder? I'm having RNY on October 19th.

Has anyone seen any good weight loss calculators that breaks a down expected weight loss at 1 month, 3 month, 6 month intervals? I found a great one and now I can't find it! Thank you!

Congrats and bigger congrats on making a decision to improve your quality of life and chances of living recurrence free (from stroke). You are doing the best thing you can do for your health! I second being careful about milk having lots of "sugars" in them. Most protein powders do not need additional calories or carbs from more protein. And it sounds as if you are getting plenty of protein. Also, too much protein can convert to energy or stored fat. Because you are sedentary you most likely have a lower TREE (total energy expenditure). Also, check your protein powder to make sure it doesn't have a lot of carbs or added sugars! Drink the lowest carb one you can. I agree you've gotten into the dreaded 3 week stall that hits anytime between 2-6 weeks. But 16lbs during that time frame is awesome! Average losses for mobil wls peeps is only 2-4lbs/week. So that's brilliant. Work your plan, follow your doc's progression to a T and you will be worlds different in 6 months! Cheers!

I am ready to get the scale moving again. I am on my second fill and I feel some restriction. I need help with what kinds of food are you all eating to loose weight. What does a meal consist of for you? Thanks Still trying

Wow. I see that some surgeons do fast track the diet. Sounds like you are doing great with it. Congrats on your weight loss. I live in Eagan. Wow. Small world.

Would love to hear from others whose BMI is less than 40 or who started at BMI of 35 or less. Unlike many, I have not been morbidly obese for my entire life. Yes, I know I'm lucky. After successful treatment for 2 cancers - both still in remission after 8 and 9 years, then an appendectomy in 2012, found my weight constantly moving upward from 141 (BMI 25) to 200 (BMI 35). The last 18 months my weight zoomed from 184 to 200 while I was working on medical weight loss with my doctors. I have high cholesterol and GERDS so when I hit 35 BMI my doctor suggested RNY. The surgery was August 2 2017, so just a week out. My stretch goal is 130; my stable, long term goal is 140. I was at 189 after my pre op diet so I only have 59 lbs to lose. That sounds like so little compared to the legions of others who have a much larger hurdle to jump. I'm 67. If this were 10 years ago I'd have waited on the surgery and tried other things (not sure what though), but I do not want to be a fat, sick old lady. Delaying surgery wasn't an option for me. Would love to hear from others in similar situations.

Down to 157 after a looooong stall and am still happy with the process. Having rotator cuff and bicep tendon repair in a few days and am anxious to see how I manage to maintain weight loss through the long recovery. Fingers crossed!

Took them before and taking them after. They do help with regularity due to regulating your gut bacteria, etc. also, I read an article of a test done on people who had WLS and probiotics. Some had the actual probiotic and the other had a placebo. The probiotic group had a 70% better weight loss than the placebo group. Worth taking it, for benefits all around. This isn’t the study I saw before but it’s a nice article about the benefits. https://www.peachtreebariatrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/PSB-Probiotics.pdf

Better late than never, right? It's FFFC time! And this week's FFFC will be voted on by your fellow VSG'ers to see who's got the most unique/creative/scandalous (in a good way!) confession! Your confessions can be food/sleeve related or not, so let's hear it! What's your dirty little secret of the week? ETA: We'll be voting Monday so you have the weekend to get your confessions in. Here's mine: When my sons father (I affectionately refer to him as Spermy... Short for Spermy McDonor ) came and dropped our son off on Sunday, I purposely made sure that I had showered, blow dried my hair, put on fresh makeup and a fresh spritz of his favorite perfume so that when he saw me in my slimmer form and form fitted clothes, he'd feel a sharp stab in his gut and realize what a moron he is for 1) being such a prick and 2) calling me a fat effing biatch a few weeks ago. I don't ever want him back, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy torturing him a bit I know my plan was a huge success when he did a double take when he saw me and lingered just a moment too long when he was kissing our son goodbye. It feels good.

WOW I need to borrow some of your excitment. I lost mine along the way but I am looking for it. Kari sounds like she is a great drill sgt. I'm sure she is just as proud to have you as a trainee. You are doing GREAT!! Yes your parents will notice your weight loss because you are going to have all the energy and confidence. I know they will see it in your face and neck first.

I was banded on 8/13/07 and then re-banded on 8/17/07 due to slippage and herniation. I didn't have any complications after that except starting my fills later than most people do. Since about the end of this September (2008) I've been experiencing some vomiting after eating. This was attributed (by my dietitian and surgeon) to not chewing well enough and eating too fast. I took the advice to chew better and slow down. The vomiting was almost instant and the relief was as well. I'm sure that some of you know that feeling of relief when the food isn't stuck anymore. This past week, I had a BAD experience with lunch and was vomiting for almost an hour after only eating a couple of bites of my lunch. It hurt-I had pains in my stomach that I had never had before and I've never vomited more than once after eating a meal and this time it was 3 times. In between vomiting, I had these awful sharp pains that traveled from my stomach up my esophagus and then nothing happened, and I would get another one that started in my stomach and traveled up. I had never experienced this much pain from vomiting before. I was scared, because of my complications so early on-that I decided to contact my surgeon's office. They again said it was from not chewing well enough and/or eating too fast. (This was food that I had tolerated before and not had any problems before that day) They told me to do Clear liquids the rest of the day and if I couldn't keep anything else down or got the sharp pains in my stomach again, that I would need to go to the Emergency room of the hospital that she is in-which is 2 hours from where I live. Luckily, I was able to keep some Soup down for dinner and avoided exercising for the night, just to let my body settle down. The soup made me sick to my stomach, but I think my stomach was just sensitive from the vomiting earlier that day. So needless to say, I didn't have to make the 2 hour trip to the ER. Well, this past weekend, it happened again. I had dinner on Saturday night (leftovers from dinner on Friday night, that I had tolerated fine on Friday night) and this time I had the same thing happen- I felt sick for about 10 minutes before I finally threw it up, then still felt like I needed to vomit again. This time I vomited twice, and it hurt again. The pains in my stomach weren't nearly as bad as they had been during the week when I got sick, but I still felt like it hurt more than it should have. Now I am having pain/discomfort/pressure in my port area. Sometimes I experience discomfort just because it's there and sometimes it's when I'm exercising. I had a fill on 10/14/08 and now have 2.5ccs in a 4cc band. So I am a little over half full. I still don't feel like I am all that restricted, although I have lost quite a bit of weight since surgery (although I am discouraged by losing weight slowly and wish I could lose more) The prospect of needing an "unfill" has come up, but I feel like it's counterproductive to my weight loss. I have to drive 2 hours for everything and I don't want to drive up there again to get Fluid taken out of my band- it's discouraging to think that might be a possibility. Soooo, basically- I am kind of worried because I'm afraid that my band might slip again, or might be slipping, or eroding-or some other BAD thing. I don't think my surgeon would do another band on me, and the idea of having to have surgery again is UNTHINKABLE! I had such a hard time having it twice in one week, I don't think I could do it again. Has ANYONE out there experienced anything like this? To be vomiting at this stage in the game is frustrating because you think it's something would deal with in the beginning-not over a year out. And does anyone know if a band will slip suddenly, or can is slowly slip until it's completely slipped? I know what signs to look for-because I had a slip before and it was absolutely awful. It was right after surgery, so I thought the pain and stuff was normal, until I started to vomit blood-that's when I knew something was wrong. I haven't vomited blood this time, but I'm just paranoid about this. Does anyone have anything for me? Trying to be patient and positive about this...

Congrats! I get my first fill tomorrow, I heard from others that he puts in 3cc's usually. I'll let everyone know. I have been hungry and eating the last week or so.. weight loss has STALLED, but I think I am in good company at this point from what I've read. I guess the good news is I healed well and am at a normal place in the process. I have had a couple of things feel like they get "stuck" though, but then eventually they go down in a couple of minutes. I need to work on the Water and not drinking before/after meals though.... need to whip myself back into a good routine after this fill tomorrow!!!!

My 1st goal is to lose 10% of my body weight (28#'s) I was banded 1/16 and am down 11#'s pre-op and 11#'s post-op ... So I only have 6#'s to go. When I reach my 1st goal I am going to get blonde and purple highlights in my hair LOL ... It feels a little strange to reward myself with a new hairstyle but its better then food !!! and I am just not going to waste money on new clothes for a few more months =0) Good luck to you on your journey =0)

I just set a goal that was a good weight for my height. However, my original goal was 120lbs; my "new" goal is 125lbs..and I'm sitting between 130-134 and in size 2s; reconsidering if losing more is the way to go. Definitely set small attainable goals that don't seem so far away. Take part in the weight-loss challenges we have on here (I think there's one for 4th of July) as they really keep you motivated.

No problem: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19943985 Study shows there was no difference in weight loss between subjects with high/low meal frequencies. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9155494 Evidence supports that meal frequency has nothing to do with subjects' energy. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11319656 No difference in energy in the subjects compared to 2 meals a day to 6 meals a day. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1905998 Eur J Clin Nutr. 1991 Mar;45(3):161-9.Links Influence of the feeding frequency on nutrient utilization in man: consequences for energy metabolism. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11319656 Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2001 Apr;25(4):519-28.Links Compared with nibbling, neither gorging nor a morning fast affect short-term energy balance in obese patients in a chamber calorimeter. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18053311 Br J Nutr. 2008 Jun;99(6):1316-21. Epub 2007 Dec 6. Links Acute effects on metabolism and appetite profile of one meal difference in the lower range of meal frequency. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1905998 Eur J Clin Nutr. 1991 Mar;45(3):161-9.Links Influence of the feeding frequency on nutrient utilization in man: consequences for energy metabolism. Again, I am not against breakfast but people should know that the timing of breakfast (when you break your eating fast from sleeping) does not matter.

I set my ultimate goal as the very top of a "healthy" BMI range, and then forgot about it for a while. Instead, I set smaller goals that were definitely attainable to keep up my morale and make me Celebrate when I reached them. One thing I did in the beginning was join "weight loss challenges" on this site and with other bloggers. So, I might commit to losing 15 lbs by the end of the challenge and work toward that goal. Then I had a trip coming up and set another "10 lb goal by the trip", etc. I did this throughout, making sure to set realistic goals. In other words, I never expected myself to lose more than 2 lbs a week, so in the beginning when I was losing quickly, I always met my goal earlier than expected which felt great! When I got within 20 lbs of onederland, that became my goal. Then, weighing less than my husband became my goal. Then, being overweight and not obese became my goal. All of these involved less than 20lb losses to reach. Now I'm in the homestretch-- so I'm just doing 10 lbs at a time and still ignoring that final number. I'll worry about it when I'm within 10 lbs of it