Teri

I totally agree! It jumpstarts your metabolism to burn calories. Great Advice Greg. Teri

Laura! You look awesome!!! Great for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It has to be such a great feeling!!!!!!!!! How tall are you? Can you tell me the reasons for your unfills, I am having similar problems with fills. I was at 3.4cc also with no restriction for a month, then it kicked in, and good. I keep having to drop down because of the tightness and not being able to keep even water down. I am ok now, but still get episodes. Hey, these are great photos. My, how much people change when the weight comes off. Great photos! Keep it up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Teri

Just from talking to people who have had surgery, your situation sounds similar to a girl I was sitting with in the waiting room. She said she had a very small esophagus, and after she was banded with the Inamed 4cc band, 2 days later the Dr. had to take off the sm band and put in the larger one because she couldnt even keep water down with the sm. band. It was something like that, way to tight for her insides to handle it. Maybe this could be you, I'm not implying that, just sounds similar. That has to be awful for you, not being able to chew things, soups only, for 2 years, I give you so much credit for what you are going through. Teri

Hey Stockprincess! Was great to talk with you yesterday, how did it go with the unfill for you. I wish we would have had more time to talk, but I thought or assumed rather you may have wanted to go eat soup or drink to test the fill level, so I actually thought I would see you at the restarant Wendy suggested. We took off pretty fast, so sorry about that. I did have to return even after the 1cc she withdrew. Still was to tight. She ended up giving me a shot for swelling, and took out another .5, so I am at 2.65cc. I havent updated my fill amounts, but will. Let me know how it went. Beautiful drive up there though, hunh? Teri PS> Happy Birthday again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How are you doing Pamela? Hope your family vacation to Fla was wonderful! We were suppose to go, but didnt make the stand by thing. We'll book another time that's not so busy, and when the 2 airline companys are finished merging. Kyle and I are trying so hard to figure out the proper level of restriction. The band is so so unpredictable about fills for us. .05cc is huge. You wouldnt think so, but when you've been at 2.6, and can eat 3 slices of pizza, and they inject 1cc to bring you up to 2.7cc and you cannot hold down even a sip of water without pbing, what is a person to do. We have it very narrowed to the correct level, but then things change with the band. It lossens it tightens, everyday, and you never know when that will happen. Working out is great to help boost the metabolism and build necessary muscle. I went in yesterday for a slight fill which brought me to 2.65cc. Not a whole lot, but maybe just enough. We'll see. Kyle is up to 2.9cc and is doing better. I wish there was a magic number right off the bat. Some people are very lucky to hit that sweet spot, and others are not. Everyone is different, and every band dictates the necessary fill amount, and that is why it is a great tool, for the adjustability factor. After paying so much money, and after several attempts to be on target with fills, your level of patience with fills is something you constantly think about getting correct, because you want the process to "start". If your not on target with fills, your back to your old way of eating, which is how we all lapbanders gain. Anyway, it's good your staying focused. Teri

Welcome, come on board! and become educated! Lots of great info here. Teri

Hello! Did you say, you dont have any restriction in the band now? If you do, how much fluid? My teen was banded back in Nov, and he still eats pretty much anything, just a few bites here and there now, since he was just filled to 2.9cc. Great job on your weight loss so far! Teri

Hi Karen, Did you say you could get down protien shakes. That is great, as I could not. Have you tried the whey protien powder? Well, I know with a fill, I should be between 2.6 and 3.0, SOMEWHERE! I can eat anything again. Yesterday, I ate 3 slices of pizza. Boo hoo. I think I will try for .2cc and see how that goes. I just hope the band doesnt tighten up again. As far as protien, that was a problem, since I coulnt keep water down. A happy medium would be nice. How much have you lost since Sept.? Weight? And how much can you eat when you can? Teri

Good Luck Kim!!!!!!!!!!!! Breaking a goal is a fantastic feeling, especially a weight loss gaol. Teri

I absolutley did! I have no way of knowing how the band will react to a fill. For me, it is one extreme to another. When you can eat anything, and I mean anything, to not being able to drink water, for me, I would like to be inbetween. And I believe that is how the band is intended to work. But, it is trying to get there!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for your wishes, I should have driven the distance sooner. It's been almost 5 months, and finding that sweet spot is a huge goal of mine. Teri

Hi Lori, > I wish you well and the very best of everything with your recovery!! Was this your back surgery? Teri

Michele, I am so glad you went in to have things checked!!!! So glad they figured out what was wrong. You have been through a lot having to put up with all the yuk stuff. When they say you picked them up, how? From eating, water, touching? Just get better, and good luck with your moving!!!!!!! Teri

Thanks Pam, how are yo doing????????? I took the 3 hour drive up to Showlow yesterday with my dear hubby. I had .4cc let out. I feel better. Wendy, the fill Dr. comes again on Mar 19, so I will go back to adjust if necessary. I was up chucking every time I drank water or anything, not good. To scary. Teri

Hi Karen, I actually dragged my dear hubby up to Showlow with me to get an unfill that happened to be .4cc. It may have been to much but the fill Dr. will be down here next Monday, so I want to be able to gauge things between now and then and then adjust the level. I feel so much better. I can breathe!!!!!!!!!!!! I probably pb'd 100 times in the last week, so that is not good. I knew I had to get relief. I couldnt even keep down a sllim fast it was hit or miss. How much have you lost, and when was your surgery.? Forgive me if you posted that. Teri

Hi Laura, Basically everyone takes American money. Credit cards do the exchange thing for you. Have fun! and Good Luck! Teri

In the last 8 days, I have dropped 8 pounds, one per day. I think I'm making up for pounds when I wasnt losing in the beginning. It was so much fun this morning, I spent about an hour trying on all the clothes in my closet I havent been able to wear in a lonnnnnnnnnng time. I am having a blast!!! Those butterflies in my tummy are returning from excitement!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAHOO Teri

Just an update for my journey. The pounds are melting it seems. I am down another 4 pounds. 22 now. The adjustment on the fill is everything. But I am still to tight. Cant wait to deflate at least .2 more cc's. I love losing the weight, but not like this, I have to be honest. Its pretty much all liquids or I'll barf constantly. YUK. Teri

So sorry, that is what I meant, I screwed up on putting the words in proper perspective. LOL Thanks for the correction. And, thanks! I do feel better, and good luck to you next month!!! Teri

Karen, are you talking about Ortiz or Wendys? Gosh, I am still so so tight. Just to be able to keep down sucking on a piece of crushed ice is a chore. I really need to get an unfill, my band wants to always tighten on me after weeks of getting a fill. It's so hard to determine at the time if the amount is correct because of not feeling restricted until weeks later. I lost another pound, but dont want to lose this way. Teri

Hi Karen, I am going through what you are. You do need to be able to drink. I have a very hard time in the morning and early afternoon, then it seems to lossen enough to take very tiny sips, and able to eat very tiny bites and very slow. You may be to tight, that is a scary feeling. There is no way I can chug anything anymore. Can only take very tiny sips and then wait till it goes completely down. If you continue to pb, you may irritate the stoma, creating an even tighter experience. Take everything slow, and if you need to, get some drained. You dont want to ruin your vacation worrying and not be able to drink. Have fun though. TEri

Down another 3 pounds since I posted last. 18 now, pheffffffffff, I'm lovin it. I am still a little to tight, which I dont like, but, I have to wait until March 19, until Wendy Hall comes to the Valley. In the meantime, it's been a lot of soup, or soft things until evening when I can squeeze in a few tiny bites of things. Ive been walking the dogs too consistently and the weather for AZ this time of year is gorgeous!~ I now can get down much needed water, and for some reason, am becoming a huge water addict!! I love it ice cold and cant seem to get enough of it since being so sick last week. Have a great weekend everyone and enjoy the spring weather. Teri

Hey, great for you Pamela!! It's exciting to see the numbers on the scale go down intsead of up. LOL. gotta love it. I am down 18 pounds too! But I had my surgery a while ago, and tried reaching the right restriction with no luck in the beginning, but I'm making up for it now. LOL Happy Losing. Teri

Hi Rachel, I'm still newly banded, but have had 4 fills and an unfill, so I am a little familar. You will be able to eat foods you like again, just not a lot of them. It all depends on your fill amounts. I am way to tight right now and am trying to hold off until the fill Dr. will be in town in a week. I may not be able to hold off, because today, my band tightened again, and water is a problem. It was loosining my first 3 fills, THEN OH MY GOSH, it decides to tighten. I'm a little flustered at the moment. After you lose some weight, you will start to see yourself eating more, and be able to eat the foods you love too. Some foods though, may be off limits completely for you depending on any given day. Some days it may work, and the next day, forget it. Any way, good luck to you, and keep us posted. Teri

Hey Banding Buddy Kim! > If you can eat a full size whopper, wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would go get a fill. Just the thought of it brings chills to my spine, trying to get it down-it would take me days! Just try and creep up on the fill, as to much in the band can change eating enjoyment considerably. It would take me a half an hour to eat ONE bite size. Im to tight right now, and my band seems to tighten 2 weeks after a fill. I just don't know why. Im not drinking or eating any different for it to change. After thinking I would need more restriction, BAM, it tightens. It drives me nuts!!!!!!!! Anyway, good luck Kim and let us know what you do. PS If you havent lost weight either Kim in the last 4 weeks, I think I would go for it. Teri

Hi Michele, Welcome! Did you decide to go with Ortiz then?/ If so, you will be very glad you did, and love the fact you'll save an extra 8k - or have an extra 8k to spend depending how you look at it. hhehehe. Good Luck with everything. Beata, Welcome as well, and good luck to you. The first 3 days are clear liquids, or broth. Believe it or not the first day, I wasn't even thinking about clear, and accidently ordered an o.j. , drank it, thought nothing about it, until we flew home. We were fine, but looking back, I cant believe we both didn't catch it. Teri