BrandNewDawn

Julie, That was just like my Thanksgiving. I made up a small plate with tiny servings of all my favorites and I was able to eat the whole plate. Very small bites, slowly, lots of chewing. But, yesterday, the day after Thanksgiving, I could not get more than a few bites down all day. Funny this band thing and the fickle restriction. I am not going to get another fill until after Christmas. I am not gaining and that is good enough for me right now and I like feeling "normal" and being able to eat with my family on the holiday. I have to admit that Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday because of all the traditional foods and I was able to get a few bites of everything down except the sweet potatoes. It felt good not overeat on Thanksgiving.

Frame size can make a difference for a weight goal too, as well as your level of fitness. I have a large frame (although I would never admit that when I was younger) but I was always using those old metlife tables for the small frame therefore the lightest weight even though I was active and made a point to exercise. I also think, like Lisa, that focusing on being a certain number on the scale or a certain size and never being happy with even a reasonable weight got me into this mess in the first place. That and being competitive with my older, naturally thinner and smaller framed sister. I am 5'7" so with my large frame, I hope I will look good at 155. If I'm still not happy, I can try to lose more. Ultimately, our goal weight is up to us. Dr. M. is not going to recommend something unreasonable.

Dr. Miranda never gave me a target weight and I did not think to ask for one. If yours is 160 at 5'3", I wonder what mine would be at 5'7". I originally wanted to get down to 135 but I adjusted that up to 145 after reading so many other posts about higher weight maintenance goals for formerly obese people and now I'm adjusting it up to 155. When I was younger, my body liked that weight and now 155 is in the healthy range for my BMI and no longer considered overweight. I would still like to be 145 but I am going to wait until I see what 155 looks like to decide. I find that information about heavier bones really interesting. I have always heard that women begin to lose bone density at age 35 and that is why we are supposed to take calcium supplements and exercise regularly. But my friend who is doing one of those liquid protein diets (Optifast, I think) said her doctor told her to she would not be able to get down as light as she once was either. That it just was not possible. And that was about heavier bones and muscles too. I have spent my whole life being "hung up" on being the right "size" and the right "weight" so it is hard to admit that I may have to settle for a higher number but I guess it will be what we look like at that higher number that really matters and I have learned over the years that every clothing manufacturer has a different idea of what a "size" is. I bought a pair of size 16 pants a few days ago and I think I could probably fit into a size 14 but I still cannot get into my size 18 pants from 10 years ago. Part of it is the fabrics are stretchy now and that 10 year old denim is not and the "cut" is different now too, much more relaxed. So, in one way I'm totally jazzed I could wear a 14 and totally bummed I cannot get into the size 18's from 10 years ago. Such is life I guess, but I digress. My point is (did I have a point) I think you will just have to wait and see what you look like. Nothing is written in stone. Other posters on the forum have talked about adjusting their goals up or down. Some are on maintenance now. There is so much great information on here. Anyway, HAPPY THANKSGIVING

I cannot imagine having my band removed voluntarily unless I was having some kind of medical complication that just would not go away, even if the band was completely unfilled. I hope that never happens to me. I love my band and I still have a long way to go to get to goal. I have never been a good dieter. I was even worse at keeping weight off. I know that without my lapband, I would be right back up in a matter of months and keep gaining. I have no reason to believe otherwise. I respect them wanting to try to do it on their own. I can see that after a few years and lots of lifestyle changes that some people might be confident enough to try to go it alone. Not me, but some people I guess.

BeBe No, it is not painful for me to eat. I do not think it is supposed to be painful to eat. Pain is usually an indication that something is wrong. If your fill is too tight, it can cause quite a bit of discomfort. Constant upper abdominal pain worsened by eating or drinking is one of the symptoms of a too tight band. So is only being able to eat "very small" amounts of solid food. And, as you probably already know, not being able to tolerate liquids is considered an emergency. My fill doctor told me the a too tight band will not just magically losen up and that you increase the risk of complications with your band the longer you wait. He also told me (bless his heart) not to take advice from people who lack proper training and experience. Please see your doctor and let us know how things turn out. I hope you feel better soon.

BigDaddy, I can manage about 1 small slice of pizza if it is thin crust. Before banding, I could eat 3 or 4 slices of thick crust no problem. I cannot eat chicken wings, I have trouble with most chicken now. I try not to label foods as good and bad but I have to agree there are healthier choices out there than pizza and chicken wings. Probably best kept for special occasions. I loved pizza before, but honestly, now I can take it or leave it.

Natalie, I am glad to hear you are feeling better. Wow, your experience sounds scary. I hope you heal fast and everything turns out okay with your band. When I had surgery (way back in March) there was a woman there at OCC who had to have her band removed because of a too tight fill. She was back to get another band. When my husband went for his surgery, he said he met a woman who was there for her second band as well. It makes me wonder how many people end up losing their bands because of too tight fills! I ended up with a too tight fill back in August and like you, I just wanted relief by the time I went in. I think all of us under estimate how hard it is on us physically to go without food and water day after day and to throw up multiple times a day. We get so focused on losing weight we are sometimes willing to sacrifice our health. I know I was happy to be losing weight again and I really did not want to go in and get un-filled and pay more money. But, I'm glad I did. I've plateaued again but I'm about half scared to go get another fill now because of the too tight experience. Get better and take care of yourself.

1. I'm 49 (I'll be 50 in January). I'm 5'7" tall. 2. I've been overweight since age 14. About 40 pounds overweight up until about 10 years ago and then I gained an additional 40 pounds. (Age, late pregnancies, menopause, inactivity, depression) 3. Throughout my 20's and into my mid-30's I lost and gained the same 20 to 40 pounds probably 4 or 5 times. I was always in the process of losing (dieting) or gaining. I was never happy with how I looked no matter how much weight I lost, I always thought that I was too heavy, even when I wasn't. I've had body image issues my entire life. In the last 10 years, up until surgery, I have been unable to lose any substantial amount of weight, maybe 10 or 15 pounds at the most before getting frustrated and giving up. 4. Seven months out from surgery I've lost 38 pounds so I'm almost half way to my goal. Slow but steady. Definitely easier since I've had surgery. The surgery has really helped me control my appetite/hunger issues. Being a life-long dieter, I was used to being hungry all the time when I dieted, or eating all the time when I was gaining, now I'm not really hungry. This is the first time in my life where I feel like my appetite is under control. Plus, my cravings for sweets has been greatly reduced which really helps me as sweets have always been a large part of the problem. 5. My average weight loss has been 1 to 1.5 pounds per week. I have 1.4cc's in a 4cc band and I have good restriction in the morning and afternoon decreasing into the evening but my weight loss has slowed down the last two weeks. I know I could increase my average weight loss if I increased my activity level but just cannot seem to get motivated to add in the exercise as I should. I guess I'm really just not in that big of a hurry. I started out with the idea of giving myself 18 months to lose the weight but if it takes 2 years, I'm okay with that too. It takes a long time to break a lifetime of bad eating/dieting habits so I'm trying to be patient with myself. Thanks for starting this thread.

Congratulations Misty. Happy 7-month Bandiversary to you! You look absolutely beautiful. Seems like not so long ago when we were in Mexico, I can't believe it been 7 months already. I'm so happy for you. I'm down 38 pounds (almost half way there)! Seeing your progress keeps me inspired! Thanks for sharing your pictures. Maybe one of these days I will figure out how to post a photo too.

Decision 224 Surgery 219 3/17/2008 (lost 5 pounds) First Fill April 29th 1.5cc (lost 12 pounds since surgery) Second Fill August 20th 1.9cc (lost 11 pounds between fills) Includes 1 month without any weight loss. First Un-fill Sept. 3rd -.05cc for a total of 1.4cc in band (lost 4 pounds between fill and unfill) Since Un-fill on 9/3/2008 I've lost 2.8 pounds Total weight loss 35 pounds in 6 months. Restriction is good right now and although I lose rather slow I probably won't go back until my weight loss completely stops again.

cfuture88 Wow, I think you are doing terrific. I went 4 weeks without any weight loss before my second fill. I know it can get discouraging but hang in there. I'm older too (49) and I think it just takes longer for us older ladies to lose the weight. I do not know where all this talk of 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup come from. I still have the information I was given by OCC and it does not say anything about the calories that you need to consume or the amount of food you should eat at any one sitting. I think how much we are able to eat is dependent upon how good our restriction is. The better the restriction, the less food we need to feel full. The last time I was at OCC, the doctor who did my fill said with a good fill we should only be able to eat 1/3 of what we would have been eating before. For example, if you used to eat 3 cups of something, now you should be able to eat 1 cup and feel satisfied. Having experienced a too tight fill, believe me when I say "be careful what you wish for." Yeah, I do not really like to exercise either but I try to get in a walk at least a few days per week. You have to accept a slower weight loss without exercise. Don't feel sad. You are doing so good. And don't get bummed just because you don't get answers. If you just read around enough, you can find answers sometimes without even needing to ask the questions. And, many of the people who are on the forums have not necessarily been banded that long themselves. None of us are experts (accept the doctors). No one has all the right answers. Good luck with your fill on the 10th. I hope you get a good fill and get off the plateau you have been on. Take care. Feel better.

Carrie, Your situation sounds very similar to how I was after my second fill to 1.9cc. I had to go and have some taken out and the two weeks I waited for "things to get better" were miserable. The doctor at OCC told me if your fill is too tight it won't get better. He also gave me a list of symptoms of a too tight band: *Can't tolerate any solid food *Can eat "very small" amounts of solid food (painful and only a little says down) *Can't tolerate liquids (THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!) *Regurgitation of swallowed foods. (PB-ing) *Heartburn *Night coughing or choking. *Repeated pulmony infections. *Constant upper abdominal pain worsedned by eating or drinking. The information goes on to say that the symptoms of a too tight band can appear immediately or a long time after a fill and waiting can increase the risk of complications. You should call your doctor. You have to be able to eat and drink. I stopped trying to eat solids and just put myself back on liquids until I could get in for the unfill (only 1 day) and I stayed on liquids again for 3 days after the unfill. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.

Hi, I'm at 6 months post op today and I have lost a total of 35 pounds which averages out to 5.8 pounds a month or about 1.5 pounds a week. The actual weight loss is all over the board. I lost more weight the first month after my first fill. Then I gradually tapered off month by month to no weight loss. Then I went for another fill. I went one whole month without any weight loss at all so the above results could really be figured on 5 months of weight loss which would make the results even better. Also, I am hit and miss on exercising and I do not count calories. Slow and steady is okay with me. I was too tight after my second fill and had to go back and have some taken out (local to San Diego area) and I have lost 6.8 pounds this last month which is the first month out from my second fill. That is high for me. I expect it will decrease next month. To 5, then 4, then 3 and gradually back to plateau. My body seems to keep making adjustments even during the plateaus, re-distributing the weight I guess. It seems the people who make the commitment to exercise see faster results. Overall, I am happy with my success so far. Without my lapband, I would still weigh 225 (or maybe more by now).

Hi all. This is a question that I have wondered about also. I found this on another lapband doctor's web site: "The band is permeable like a helium balloon, so it will harmlessly leak a very small amount of saline at a very low rate. Most patients will need a yearly adjustment for the rest of their life." I had not heard that before. I asked Dr. So the "where does it go" question at my last fill and he said something about the band being a pressure system but I did not really understand what he was trying to tell me. Not his fault in any way. He was great, very nice and helpful. My first fill was 1.5cc, When I went in last Wednesday, .5 was "missing" and Dr. So put .9 in so now I have 1.9cc and hopefully will get off that plateau I have been on for a month.

I'm 49 and had my surgery in March. I have lost almost 30 pounds so far. I have been on a plaueau for the last 3 to 4 weeks and I will be going for my 2nd fill on Wednesday. I do not exercise like I should so I consider my weight loss to be pretty good considering my age and my activity level. I was never "thin" but after I had my children late (two sons at age 38/40) and went through menopause, I kept gaining and it just got harder and harder to lose weight and keep it off. I agree with everyone else who says, "it will take longer but we will get it done."

My husband and I are both banded now. He just got back from OCC. I got my band in March and although I think my progress has been slow, he was impressed enough to want to have the surgery himself. He is doing great, just added the drinkable yogurt today. He has always been a good dieter, just had trouble keeping the weight off. I think he will be very successful with his lap band. We were joking today about how much money we will save when the two of us can share a meal and still take home leftovers! It would have been nice if he would have been able to come down and have the surgery with me. I went by myself because we have no dependable family here and two boys ages 9 and 11. How it turned out was okay too though. I have this "what if something bad happens" mentality that makes me think one parent at a time is an okay way to go too. But, that is just me and my anxiety! Good luck. I hope you can get things worked out so that you can have the surgery at the same time. Dawn

Lynn, It sounds like you are doing all the right things to prepare for your hike. I'm excited for you. I would like to go back and try it again. That would be a good goal for me to work toward for next summer. You have inspired me. Be careful and have a great time. I'm looking forward to seeing the photos when you return. Dawn

Hi lynzz, My husband, my sister and I actually attempted this hike back in 1993. I was much thinner and in much better shape back then. We made it all the way up to right before the cables and had to turn around because we were exhausted and almost out of water. I can say that food was not my concern, water, water, water. This is by far the most challenging hike I ever attempted. I still want to go back and try again! I do not think that food would be a problem, as others mentioned, there is so much good hiking food available on the market today that was not around 15 years ago when I tried this. As for medical help should you have a medical emergency, probably still not available. My husband's doctor advised him not to go back then because he has astham and uses an inhaler. If you decide to go, take more water than you think you will need, especially if it is hot. I lurk on this site mostly but I just had to respond to this one. Yosemite is one of my favorite spots. I read your posts and you are amazing with your committment to exercise. Congrats on your weightloss progress and on quitting smoking. Dawn

Hi I'm the one from the San Diego area. I'm doing good. Liquids seemed to last forever but I'm feeling better now that I can eat food again. I'm not feeling much restriction so I will be scheduling a fill soon. I lost 9 pounds while on the liquids, I'm down 14 pounds total including pre-op diet. I don't lose weight fast anymore though, when I was younger, I could diet and lose fast, not any more. Every pound seems to take forever. This last week I don't think I've lost any. That is okay though, I know my band isn't filled yet. I'm trying just to go on will power and better eating choices to keep me from gaining back any weight before my first fill. Trying to steer clear of all the junk. I've noticed that I feel better physically already. Overall, I'm really happy with my decision to have the lap band. Hope you are doing well. Nice to talk to you. Dawn

Hi, I was banded on 3/17 too. Hope everyone is doing well.