April Bandsters - How are you doing?

[JMBracker 1]

So i got my first fill of 3cc's yesterday and im hoping this gives me some restriction because i had none!...the scale has definately slowed down and stayed in the same range for weeks...hopefully 3cc's is good enough for now... i dont feel any different when on liquids so i guess I'll find out monday when i can eat solids again.

[Windus 0]

Today is a very good day for 2 reasons. I hit the 30 lbs lost mark and now have less than 100 lbs to lose.

Woohoo! :thumbup:

[monkeymama 0]

Congrats Windus!!!

[marsmom 2]

Yea Windus! Keep up the good work!

[marykb 0]

Great job Windus!

I noticed last night my daughter weighs only a bit more than I have lost, but I can't carry her up the stairs. It made me realize that I have lost a whole child in weight and also wonder how I got myself up the stairs when it was like carrying her all of the time.

[zandile100 0]

Hey just wondered how everyone was doing. I was banded on 4/19/10. I have lost about 35 pounds (which I am soooooo grateful for) and have just started having a problem with Hair loss. Has anyone else experienced this? I thought I would have to loose like 100lbs quickly to loose my hair. Also do most of you feel like you have hit restriction yet? How many fills have you had? Sorry for all the questions but I just am struggling a little bit because I don't feel like I have lost enough weight, I don't have restriction and now my hair is falling out!

[Ravyn 0]

Zandile100, I lost a total of 12 pounds since my banding date of 4/18/2010. I can't believe it! I went for my third fill 8/22 and had gained 6 pounds. I'm struggling here. I have had 3 fills and I swear my little band it just about full! My doctors swears this is normal. He says I need to do more cardio. I did...and NOTHING! I'm just miserable, hungry, and I hate Protein Shakes. I'm going to get a pizza with the works!

Have a great day!

[marykb 0]

My hair is really falling out! I'm using Biotin and Nioxin, but haven't seen any difference yet. I had some blood taken on Saturday, so the Dr. will see if I'm deficient in something. I hope that there is something they can do--if not, I'll bald by October!

I have had one fill, but am getting another one tomorrow. I've just been starving lately! I'm afraid to weigh myself this week because I'm sure I've gained a few pounds and I don't want to know. I'm hoping that this fill brings back my restriction. It has been a real struggle lately not to eat like a horse.

[teachkdz0507 7]

Hi Fellow April Bandsters!

I was banded on April 23, 2010 and I am very pleased with my progress to date. I have lost 35 pounds and have gone from a size 20 to a snug size 12. :-) I haven't worn a 12 for over 20 years! That's something to celebrate! I have a 10cc band and had fill #3 in early August and now have 6 cc in it. Up until this last fill (5.5 until August) I had only felt a slight resistance but this last fill put me over the top. I considered an unfill because I have slimmed so much since the fill and been nauseous so much. My doc talked me out of it and told me to work with the band NOT against it. I wasn't hungry in the morning anymore BUT I tried to eat to get my Protein in and promptly got sick because it was so tight. Now I have a hot drink in the a.m. and have a Special K fruit Crisp at 9:45-ish and that holds me over until lunch. I can then eat lunch and dinner without issue because I am hungry at that point. Thank goodness-the nausea was getting really old! So, now that I'm working with my tool and listening to my true hunger life is good again-and yes, it broke my month long plateau of a 2 pound loss in July! ;-( I have also joined a gym and actually like it! I try to go every other day. The elliptical and treadmill are my favorite because I can jam to my I-pod and work through any frustrating moments! I use to think I wanted to lose 70 pounds but I am thinking 50 pounds will be a better fit for me- especially if I keep toning myself. I have noticed a bit more shedding on my brush than normal but am trying not to stress about it. I just do my best to eat as much protein as possible. I really feel like I found my "green zone" or "sweet spot" because I am truly not hungry except at lunch and dinner. I hope this will continue! I see that some have lost more since April (congratulations!) but most of us are in the 30's so I think we are all doing just fine! Can't wait to check in with everyone in a few months! Good luck on increasing exercise and decreasing your weight! You can do it!

[teachkdz0507 7]

Hi Ravyn,

Hold off on that pizza! You've come too far to give up! How many cc's do you have? I have had 3 fills and now have 6 cc's and it is super tight! It actually is working for me being so tight because I'm really not hungry at all and if I force myself to follow a schedule then I get sick. It has taught me to listen to my hunger. Tell your doc about your frustration and perhaps ask them to be a bit more aggressive with your fill schedule. My doc agreed to an aggressive fill schedule (every 3-4 weeks) because I did join a gym and I work out every other day. Maybe your doc will also agree to that so you can see results faster and keep your motivation up?!? I'll be sending you some positive thoughts for a good conversation with your doc and some results to pump you up!

[MountainMama 5]

Hi there all you April bandsters :w00t: Its good to see this thread pop up to the top so we can check in. I am doing okay here just a little bit tight with this last fill. 6cc's in a 10cc band, but I am trying to hold out to see if it loosens up a little bit. Seems that I can eat okay one day and the next I cant really eat much of anything. Keeping my fingers crossed for it to loosen instead of having to go get an unfill, but I will if it doesnt let up.

I hope to see from a few more people to see how everyone else is fairing. This has been the best decision I could have possibly made. I havent been on BP meds in a few weeks and at a blood drive at work yesterday my BP was 102/63!! I was very excited! I still have a ways to go but I am taking it as it comes.

Keep up the good work everyone!!:thumbup::hurray::wub:

[monkeymama 0]

Hello April Folks! Ravyn hold out girl! Do you have a realize band? They take longer to get restriction- I have 6cc now and still could handle a fill. Try increasing you exercise by 10 minutes each week-

To the other poster who lost 35 lbs... I was feeling bad about my 40ish but our views are tainted by seeing all the posters who have lost 50 or more- I bet there are more out there like us who dont post their loss cause they are worried it isnt enough.

These past 2 months I have been bouncing around the same weight BUT I went down 2 pants sizes! YEE HAW-

Anyhoo congrats to all of you who are showing the crazy huge numbers!

[BusyMom1961 1]

My hair is falling out like crazy. My son makes fun of me in the car - when the air conditioner is on it blows all over the place.

I was told that the loss of hair would last about three months and then start to taper off. I am about one and a half months in.

I am at 4 ccs in my band. I can't handle much more than that. I went up to 5.5 but had to have an un-fill back to 4. And it is serving me well.

I have lost about 50 something pounds, I don't remember exactly how many, but I know that I am still losing so that is good.

I love me band. It is everything I wanted it to be.

I do walk at least one hour every night - even when I don't feel like it and even when it was SO HOT I thought I would melt. Exercise is non-negotiable for me to continue to lose weight. It is one more tool to help me lose.

Good luck everyone - if you aren't where you want to be, hold on it will happen. Remember the rules that we got when we were first banded and if that doesn't work talk to your doctor, they are your biggest cheeleader.

[HappyDay 0]

Hey just wondered how everyone was doing. I was banded on 4/19/10. I have lost about 35 pounds (which I am soooooo grateful for) and have just started having a problem with hair loss. Has anyone else experienced this? I thought I would have to loose like 100lbs quickly to loose my hair. Also do most of you feel like you have hit restriction yet? How many fills have you had? Sorry for all the questions but I just am struggling a little bit because I don't feel like I have lost enough weight, I don't have restriction and now my hair is falling out!

I was doing great - lost 65 lbs since April 9th, but I think I've put back about 5 lbs in the past week. Been eating like crazy....bad stuff - lots of wine, movie theater popcorn, ice cream sundaes, fritos corn chips, oh....and lots of wine...LOL - I have to get control of this. I put off my 3rd fill because of vacations and the end of summer. I also have been losing A LOT of hair (another reason I wanted to slow down). I do exercise a lot....I walk/jog 5 miles 3-4 days a week and take a weight training class 2-3 times a week....I think that's where the loss came from. As soon as my kids get back to school I'll get back on track and get another fill.

Good Luck everyone!!

[happytrucker280 0]

Hey Everybody...I am up to 5cc in my 10cc Allergen band. I have an appt on 8/26 and I need another fill this will be my fourth. I had restriction in early July but it left after about 3 weeks. My weight is is down 30 lbs. My doc is very pleased at the progress thus far. I would like to see more pounds gone but I can wait for the weight to come off. This learning process is something else. After all my surgery was not quite 5 months ago and I don't want to be flabby by losing too fast.

Non-scale victories are size 22 to 18, no more blood pressure pills, I can cross my legs, no seatbelt extender needed on an airplane woohoo, my DH can touch his elbows when he hugs me oh yeah!!, my stamina is through the roof.

A face to face buddy would be great, only if to meet a couple times per month.. Do any of you have buddies? Does it help?

Hang in there everybody, we are all so different but yet the same. We chose the slow road for a reason. Congrats to all for working to get healthy and on your scale & non-scale victories.