Bunny Bandsters - April '09, MASTER THREAD #1

[TerriLynne 0]

Hi guys, it seems like a few of us have been MIA for a while, me included. I think the last time I posted was when I was going for my second fill.....well, something happened and the doctor had to reschedule, so this friday I go for my 2nd fill. I have been struggling a little. It seems like it's taken forever to lose a pound. I actually don't think I've lost more than a pound in the last few weeks. :tongue2: I sure hope getting this fill will help get things rolling again. Being here helps, I don't think I realized how much until now. It's nice to be "home" again. lol I hope everyone is doing well....TJ...wow nice pic, I've lost a total of 47 pounds (20 post surgery) and I don't think anyone can tell but me. lol

hugs to all

Terri:smile2:

[jukebox81782 0]

hello all...

i was just wondering if anyone ever feels like they never really feel "full." i don't know. perhaps the first problem is that i never really "eat." i tend to mostly drink smoothies and Protein Shakes (which SUCKS), but when i do finally try to eat something, it's like i don't have any problems. i feel like i can eat pretty much what i want and as much as i want (when i choose to eat). i've had FOUR fills!! i think i'm going to tell my surgeon that i want to be filled too much this next time, so i can understand how it's supposed to feel if it's too much.

it's not that i want to have the pain and puking, but i feel like what i'm doing and the weight loss i've had has nothing to do with the damn band at all and everything to do with me just finally beind disciplined about my diet and exercise. it's like... why did i go through this to begin with?! URGH!!

is anyone else going through this? what did you do??

[Band_Groupie 3]

I keep going in for fills, but I still don't feel a lick of restriction...

I actually don't think I've lost more than a pound in the last few weeks.

perhaps the first problem is that i never really "eat." i tend to mostly drink smoothies and Protein Shakes (which SUCKS), but when i do finally try to eat something, it's like i don't have any problems. i feel like i can eat pretty much what i want and as much as i want (when i choose to eat). i've had FOUR fills!!

Hey gals...good to see you back! You've all said how many fills you've had but not how much you have and in what size band...there are polls on here that show that some people need their band pretty close to full before they get enough restriction, so keep getting those fills! I had a tiny bit of restriction after my second fill (up to 4.5cc's) and now I have good restriction with this third one (up to 5.6cc's), but it's different with everyone....I've got the 10cc band and some need 8 or more cc's. You might want to ask them if they'll do a fill under flouro as they can watch the restriction and get you closer by doing that (I haven't needed flouro yet). Hang in there...restriction will happen and it's great when you finally get there (I could eat anything/any amount before it too). Bandster Hell just plain sucks, but most of us have to go through it....the words are 'through it'....you will come out the other side and be 'over it'!!!! Keep posting and scheduling those fills!!! Best wishes! -BG

[moonbeam 1]

Hi everyone. I've had 3 fills and no restriction. Not losing. Kinda bitter about it. I feel like I fool for spending the money on this. Right now this is just another weight loss strategy that I've tried and failed at. Sorry for the downer post, but it's how I feel.

[emjay 8]

Hi All -

I've had my fourth fill on Saturday and I finally understand decent restriction. It really slowed my eating down and how much I can eat varies depending on the type of food, but I can only eat about 1/2 as much as I could with my third fill. My throat "gurgles" alot, but it's a minor distraction.

Please don't get discouraged everyone, you just may not be at a good enough restriction. Yesterday, I had a 2 1/4 oz mini-quiche and nothing else to eat until about 7 hours later. I can't say I was stuffed when I finished eating it, but satisfied. It was only about 5 hours later I started to get a little hungry. This is so much better than after my third fill. Keep your chin up ladies and gents, next year will be amazing for us!

[Sissyh1006 0]

Hi everyone. I've had 3 fills and no restriction. Not losing. Kinda bitter about it. I feel like I fool for spending the money on this. Right now this is just another weight loss strategy that I've tried and failed at. Sorry for the downer post, but it's how I feel.

I know how you are feeling but you need to get more fills to you get to restriction. I am just now getting to that point but I shared my same concerns last week at my fill appointment. Schedule that appointment today and try not to be too down on yourself.

[soon2befit@yahoo.com 0]

Hi all

I have had 3 fills and I've realized that I don't always make the best food choices like eating the lean Protein first because of the pressure it causes in my chest and I am still hungry. It is a very wierd feeling to be hungry but can't eat because of the pain. Is this the restriction everyone speaks of? I'm afraid to get another fill because I want to eat the lean Proteins and be able to make good food choices. As of right now I still eat more than the cup or so of food especially if its salad or something like that. Is anyone else experiencing this?

[moonbeam 1]

Hi Soon2be,

Yes I'm close to there as well. Almost everything I eat causes some discomfort, but like you I can eat way more than a cup of food. I was wondering like you if that's what it's supposed to feel like, if this is it. I hope not!

[doodlebug11 0]

Good Morning everyone !! I'm having some thoughts on fills also. I've been reading your posts and want to get some opinions from you guys. I have a 10cc band, right now I have had 2 fills, for a total of 2.6cc's. I think I do have some restriction but not much, I do eat more than cup of food and sometimes my chest does have a full feeling. I am losing but at a half pd or sometimes 1 pd a wk. My Dr. won't put in more than 4cc's in my band, my next appointment is Aug 20, so what I'm wondering is , do I get my next fill or do I just keep plugging along ? I haven"t had any PB's or slimming and really don't want to start having those problems !! I'm thinking maybe one more fill cause I'm not getting that for sure feeling to stop eating, I'm eating the right things but the weight is just coming off too slow !! I know that that's the way the band is designed to work but I thought that I would lose more than a half a pd a wk !!! Right now I've lost 47 pds since March. I just don't know what to do , any suggestions would certainly be helpful !!! Throw some thoughts my way !!!!

Edited August 10, 2009 by doodlebug11

[rcher 1]

Doodlebug , Not to worry! My Dr. says 1 lb a week is a good loss. The best way to lose is slowly. Also slowly gives your skin a chance to tighten up instead of sag from rapid weight loss. I was banded april 27th and and have lost 40lbs since then but I have lost 70 lbs from my heaviest. I have a 13 cc band with 7 cc in after two fills. I do have good restriction. I do feel the chest tightness if I eat too much, but that normally doesn't happen, for I am one of the "lucky" people that has a wrning sign of "runny nose" before being full. My doctor told me he has never had to put more than 9 cc in the size band I have, so I guess I am almost maxed out. I have an appt. on Sept 10 for a fill. He told me if I have good restriuction I might be at my"sweet spot"already and probably won't need the next fill. I really am satisfied to lose 1 lb a week. Thats 52 lbs a year which will put me right where I want to be. Hope my experience helps. Please e-mail me if you have any questions. :thumbup:

[Band_Groupie 3]

DB- You have to remember that you're a low BMI'er and that presents it's own set of challenges, namely slower weight loss. When the high BMI'ers make their way down to a low BMI they'll have this issue too. It's just natural to stop losing as fast as you get closer to goal. If I keep losing a pound a week until goal then I'll be happy.

I'd be asking myself how hard it is for you now to lose the weight you are...is it mostly you and you're struggling with still being hungry between meals? Are you eating more than you should at most meals? Or do you feel satisfied on a cup of food or so until the next meal? If you feel satisfied, then don't mess with things...if you're struggling then get a fill...it might only take a small one.

One side note...did you know your doc only will fill to 4cc's when starting with him? I'd be sunk as I have 5.6cc's in the same size band and I'm guessing I'll need at least 1 more fill. Sounds like you won't need as much though luckily.

[doodlebug11 0]

Hey, BG and rcher, thanks so much for getting back with me ! You certainly gave me something to think about. No, I didn't know that my Dr. would only put in 4cc's, I just never thought about asking him. I am going to find out though. I know that the smaller we get, the weight will come off more slowly, and it is better on us to lose slowly because of saggy skin, I guess I just needed to hear it again.Thanks, rcher, for the e-mail offer, I may take you up on that ! I remember you talking about getting a runny nose on another post and I thought that would be neat to get a sign like that !! That's so funny ! BG, I'm not satisfied with the amount of food I eat, I can eat more if I allow myself, so maybe I do need a small fill. I'm thinking maybe one more and see what happens. Thanks so much for all you do keeping us lined out !!!

[hopeful41411 0]

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been MIA too. I haven't been as as faithful and good as I should be, therefore my commitment hasn't been so good. Here I am....

I can relate to quite a few of the recent posts about the struggle.

Today was another fill for me. I am at 7.5cc in a 10cc band. Hoping that I will finally feel restriction. I was up like a tenth of a pound, so not bad, but the first time I've been up there. The plus side is that I've been working out more. We had two big weekends where I drank, so that hasn't helped anything. Love the fill though because it's a new start!

[JayTee562 1]

I'm actually wondering if I should postpone my fill appointment on the 25th. I got stuck on Monday at lunch then yesterday morning I got really stuck threw up some of my Breakfast and spitup all the way to work (lucky I had an empty drink cup in the back) felt really bad most of the day.

Today was mostly OK but at dinner I started a bit to fast and had to walk away for about 15 minutes then I was able to go back and finish eating.

My next fill will be under floro so it would be intresting to see what's going on in there.

[jukebox81782 0]

well, i had an ineresting fifth fill appointment. my doctor told me that the liquid diet i've been on for about three weeks might actually been slowing down my progress (which made me SUPER happy because my progress has been pretty great I think, so if it can get faster, that'd be so awesome!!).

he explained that the band is not only supposed to trick the person into feeling full, it also tricks the mind into thinking the body is full...meaning that when i'm doing a liquid diet, i never feel the fullness, and my mind never feels the fullness, so my body will reject the weight loss because it feels like it's being denied food. (this all sounded much more intelligent when the doctor was explaining it).

bottom line: he said that when you feel full because you've eaten food, your mind thinks you're full and communicates to your metabolism that it's getting all the food that it needs, so your metabolism stays strong and doesn't shut down because it thinks it's being starved (which is why "diets" don't work). does this make sense?

at any rate, i'm going back to eating after my two-day fill recovery. i'm excited!! everyone is doing so great!! four months done and feeling fab!!