JANUARY BANDSTERS ~~ how is everyone?

[Renee1003 2]

Hi all,

HOW ARE ALL THE JANUARY 2011 Bandsters making out...?

My surgery was 1/18/11 and I lost 20 pounds between post op and week 1 pre op and haven't lost another pound - I've found this to be so extremely difficult considering I have ZERO restriction. I got my first fill on 3/1 and felt NOTHING so I called the doc yesterday and told him that I'm hungrier than ever, I've gained just a few pounds and I could eat whatever I want without restriction and as much of it as I want - and he got me right in - I realize that this is not something the practice would do - it's a fill every 6 weeks no matter what, no excuses, but maybe they saw how little they really DID put in last week so I went in today and had another fill and I'll have my third fill on 4/13. I'm PRAYING to god that I feel a little restriction now. Cause I really don't know what that feels like at all. I'm very anxious to see results - Results make me want to work harder and exercise but thus far - I have been sluggish and bummed about it. I know that I'll be where I need to be one day but I was hoping for just a LITTLE MORE out of this band - if I had the willpower and motivation I would have lost it on my own and I would have KEPT the weight off in the past -

HOW ARE ALL OF YOU MAKING OUT? I'd love to hear all your stories - please share. The good, the bad, the ugly --- let's see how the January 2011 Bandsters are making out.

Renee

[USMC Wife 1]

I was banded on 1/27 and have lost a total of 36.6 lbs. About 10 of that was during the preop diet. I went to see my dr. an Nut yesterday and the best thing is 26lbs of that is pure fat since the day of surgery. I get my first fill on Monday and can't wait. I don't have restriction, but have been on a pretty restrictive 700 calorie diet. I now get to go to 848 calories for the next 2-4 months. I feel good and so glad I made this step. I have had a few emotional moments but thanks to my husband I have gotten through.

[cantdecide 1]

I was banded on 1/25 and have lost 24 lbs total, but 10 of that was week 1 pre-op and the other 10 was the first week post-op. The extra 4 have been gained and lost for the 4 weeks since. I'm pretty discouraged too. I got my first fill last thursday (5 cc in a 14 cc band) and feel no restriction at all. I'm going to get another fill on thursday and a fill every 2 weeks until I feel good restriction. I really want this to work! I'm eating between 1000-1200 calories and running 30 minutes 3x a week. I know I should bump up the exercise but between working 20 hrs at one job, having a busy private practice on my own, raising 3 kids under 6, and being a wife I find myself with little time. I know. . .excuses, excuses. When the weather gets better I'll start biking to work.

[bunnyluv37 1]

HELLO EVERYONE I WAS BANDED 1/17/2011 IN BALTIMORE MD, AS OF MONDAY I WAS 7WKS POST-OP I HAVE LOST 25LBS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED BUT I AM HAVING A HARD TIME EAT ENOUGH CALORIES, BUT I AM STILL HAPPY AT THE SAME TIME I VE BEEN GOING THRU THE TRIAL AND ERROR PHRASE WITH EATING TO FAST BUT PRETTY MUCH OK, I HAD MY FIRST FILL LAST WEEK, MY DOCTOR DIDNT PUT ME ON A PRE-OP DIET B4 THE SURGERY IF I HAD PROBALY WOULD BE DOWN MORE BUT ALL IS WELL, EVERYONE PLZ STAY IN TOUCH SO WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER.

[bentonhuey 1]

Hi, fellow January bandsters. I was banded Jan. 14th & have lost 31.8 pounds so far (11 of those were pre-op). I had my 2nd fill yesterday (0.2 cc); my first fill 2 weeks ago (2 cc); & will have my third fill in 2 weeks.

I have counted calories (staying between 600-800) and have felt restriction for the most part. The doctor put a standard band on me, since it fit, but he said it was tight enough by itself to give restriction from the beginning, so I guess I have been lucky in that regards.

I know we can all do this and be successful. I am so glad to have had the surgery and am looking forward to more energy and less joint pain. Let's keep encouraging others!!!

[speeding02gt 3]

Hello my name is mahlon. I had my surgery on 1/17 and had my first fill 2/28. I have lost 44 lbs since my surgery( keep in mind I was 361 so it's gonna come of faster than some). The first month before my fill was really difficult to stay devoted to the diet because I would get hungry within 2 hrs after a meal. The most important thing that I have noticed was not drinking anything 30 min before eating and an hour afterward. The other was eating Protein first (3-4 ozs.) Then if I was still unsatisfied I would nibble on some veggies or unsweetened applesauce. One of the bigest things has been knowing when I'm satisfied...I have never eaten until satisfied it's always been eat until it almost hurts which is a big habit to break just try to understand your body as dumb as that sounds when the hunger pains go away stop eating( easier said than done).. As early badsters we have to gut out the first couple months and prepare our bodies for the restrictions we will have for the rest of out lives. It WILL get easier! Just know that in a few months when we are all down a ton of weight we will look back and know that the first couple months of hell was well worth it keep ur head up and fight the addiction that is killing us all!! Good luck to all of us!

[rudeetina 0]

Hey There,

I was banded 1/27.. I had a stuck episode a few weeks ago... bread - never touched it since... I am one of those where bread is not my friend. That scared me so bad... It took 15 minutes to pass and the pain of being stuck to go away...

I went for my first fill on 2/24 unfortunately my doctor was away on an emergency so his partner went ti fill me... After three pokes with the long needle I got up and said "your done"... He had no idea where the port was... He tried finding it with the ultra sound no go... Of course I was freaking out thinking there was something wrong or my port flipped.

I was rescheduled with my doctor on March 1st. Went in and my doctor filled me with 2.5cc he started with 2.9cc.... I feel a good restriction in the morning - it really depends on what I eat..

I started this journey weighing 305... I now weight 288...7lbs of that was during the preop... I am really frustrated and disappointed because the scale has not moved since in the right direction. When I started solids of course the scale went up... Everyone tells me I look good and that I have lost some weight and what am I doing (I have not shared the surgery with anyone)... I don't see what they see...

I hear about people losing 3-5lbs a week... It's just not happening for me... This has been one emotional ride... I walk everyday about 30-45 minutes at lunch... Take in anywhere from 800-1200 calories daily... I just don't get it.. Dr. told me if I was not feeling restriction to come see him before my next appointment which is on the 29th...

Congratulations to you all for your weight loss and working through the emotional part of it... I keep hope that soon the scale will start moving in the right direction for me...

[JakerT5 8]

Hi y'all , I was banded on Jan 28 , so far down 39 pounds , started at 263 and now 224 , my first fill is this weekend and I am so nervous , I don't watch my Calories , I decide I will keep at the low carb thing and watch the amount I eat , no exercise routine yet , I figure my job is enough of a workout for me now , it good to hear where all the Jan people are at in this life changing thing , so let's keep are heads up , mouth close and weight off

[laurajean1 1]

Hi all,

HOW ARE ALL THE JANUARY 2011 Bandsters making out...?

My surgery was 1/18/11 and I lost 20 pounds between post op and week 1 pre op and haven't lost another pound - I've found this to be so extremely difficult considering I have ZERO restriction. I got my first fill on 3/1 and felt NOTHING so I called the doc yesterday and told him that I'm hungrier than ever, I've gained just a few pounds and I could eat whatever I want without restriction and as much of it as I want - and he got me right in - I realize that this is not something the practice would do - it's a fill every 6 weeks no matter what, no excuses, but maybe they saw how little they really DID put in last week so I went in today and had another fill and I'll have my third fill on 4/13. I'm PRAYING to god that I feel a little restriction now. Cause I really don't know what that feels like at all. I'm very anxious to see results - Results make me want to work harder and exercise but thus far - I have been sluggish and bummed about it. I know that I'll be where I need to be one day but I was hoping for just a LITTLE MORE out of this band - if I had the willpower and motivation I would have lost it on my own and I would have KEPT the weight off in the past -

HOW ARE ALL OF YOU MAKING OUT? I'd love to hear all your stories - please share. The good, the bad, the ugly --- let's see how the January 2011 Bandsters are making out.

Renee

i was banded jan 20th weied in at 262 and i;m down to232.i had my first fill on the 1st as well,here it is 10 days later and i am also hungrier then ever.i will be calling the doc as soon as the office opens to see if i can get another fill sooner.good luck to you....

[laurajean1 1]

i was banded jan 20th weied in at 262 and i;m down to232.i had my first fill on the 1st as well,here it is 10 days later and i am also hungrier then ever.i will be calling the doc as soon as the office opens to see if i can get another fill sooner.good luck to you....

oops...i'm down to 234 sorry

[Renee1003 2]

The "exception" that my doc made for me yesterday was VERY much appreciated cause TODAY I feel restriction - for the first time -- nothing MAJOR - but something!!!!!! I just ate a 1/2 of Greek yogurt and I'm good --- I COULD eat the other half but why??? They say the first week after a fill is usually good so we'll see after next week where I'm at. My next fill is scheduled for the 2nd week of april --- Really want to be down another 20 pounds by May --- can't imagine that I won't be able to do it - but I also thought I'd be down so much more by NOW.

Reading all that you wrote has helped me - let's all stay in touch. Thanks!

[spededbarb 0]

I was banded 1/13. Between my consult in Aug. and now I have lost 15 lbs. I have been stuck on not losing for a while now. Between my post-op and Feb. 28, I lost a lb. I was given 6 cc on my first fill Feb. 28. (standard at my Dr.) I do have restriction, but still am not losing. I'm super frustrated. Have trouble getting my calories in AND I am exercising 5 days a week, bike, treadmill and elliptical. I don't know what else to do. I did "pig-out" one day and lost 4 oz. ! Even with my "pig-out", I didn't eat nearly enough calories. I am averaging around 550-600 calories. I know that's not healthy. My start weight was 199, so I know it will come off slower then those who have more to lose, but I sure would be happy if I would lose a lb. a week!

Any ideas or suggestions?

[Huggles1951 1]

I was banded on Jan 10th. I had 2 cc put in my band the day of surgery. I was on a liquid diet for 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after surgery and I couldn't eat as much thick Soup after surgery as before. Now that the swelling has gone down and I'm on regular food I can eat more but I still am not hungry all the time like I was before. I went for a fill 3 weeks ago and he didn't do one because I was losing and not hungry. Didn't get one yesterday either though he said by the 31st he'd do one as it would still be free and he wasn't sure if my ins. would pay for it after the 90 days. I called my ins. today and they said it should be covered but we'll see how that goes. 35lbs of the weight I lost was after surgery. Lately I've been averaging 2lbs a week sometimes more. My cholesterol and blood sugar are good now without meds (I was pre-diabetic) So I can't complain about the results so far. It's still all a learning process as far as food goes. I'm terrified of bread...lol. I've had a couple of stuck episodes with other stuff and it was not pleasant. I've been trying to do mostly Protein and not too many carbs and I've been doing Water aerobics at the Y 5 days a week. Overall I feel really good. Kind of worried the fill when I get it will hurt but I've got till the 31st to psych myself up for that... again...lol.

[nu2ywg 4]

Hi Everyone,

I was banded Jan 5th and I've lost 49 lb so far. I lost about 17 of that during the pre-op diet. I had my second fill earlier this week and I'm pretty sure I haven't hit my sweet spot yet. I had my first solids after fill today at lunch and was easily able to pack away 5oz (150g) of turkey breast and 1/2 cup of cottage cheese. So in less than 300 calories I managed 48g ( ) of Protein...but I still feel like I could have eaten more. My recommended amount of Protein is 70g per day and I usually have no trouble exceeding that. I aim for 1200 calories/day but have many days that I go over that. I go to the gym at least 3 times a week and try to work out on the wii if I can't make it to the gym. I'm definitely looking forward to my willpower having a boost!

It's nice to see others banded at around the same time and how you are all doing. Take care everyone. Btw, there is a January 2011 board here too...

[amberakamom 13]

You guys are chugging right along!

I had my first gain this week +1.4. All my fault too. I have not been making good choices, and I HATE that.

So I have lost 14 since surgery, 11 on pre-op diet. 25 total. The only time I notice any restriction is certain times when I eat too fast, for a few seconds I feel like it's going to come back up.

I go for my first fill on Monday!