collegegirl9696

I was banded in January of 2007 and have lost a significant amount of weight (76 lbs) but I am at a stand still and have been for about 2 months.. I find my band is really tight in certain parts of the day- and I wont be able to eat unless I eat - get this... about 6-8 flaming hot cheetos! its weird because I will ty to eat beans or mashed potatoes and I will PB- but if I start my lunch with those on my way home from work on my lunch- then by the time I get home I can eat lunch! but other times I can eat things like spaghetti- so I guess my question is... Should I get a fill and just go back to Tomato soup? ( LOL ) the main thing is that I want to lose more weight in 3 months- and I am just not losing it- but sometimes I cant even drink milk... Unfortunately the lady I have to go to up here to get my fill doesnt use the Flouro.. so I wont know for sure how well things are passing through... Any advice is good advice- especially in our Forum!!

Hello! I was banded in January of 2007- and I just want to let u know that- as long as u need to lose weight- u will have these issues with food- u have to realize that the restriction and the worry comes from this little band that is saving your life!If u are physically capable of stuffing ur face with whatever u want- it will never work! So YES it will be hard for a couple of years- let me just say that I lost 76 lbs in my first year- AMAZING- and it was not so bad-its hard- but u have to know thatonce u reach an ideal weight for u- u will be able to be a little more free- but the key is to be able to think this way subconsciously- because we have an eating disorder- that is how we get here- no matter the cause - the culpret is us and food! But we will be able to cheat a more than a person with no band- because if we see the wieght coming back on - we can go get a fill!! lol! It will be okay- though... just when u are out eating socially and u dont want it to be obviouse- especially if u are afraid of PBing... be safe and go with Mushy food or soup- just control ur portion and dont make it a habit! I noticed that when I went out to dinner with friends or something I tended not to chew my food as well because u are busy talking and u dont want people to notice how long u need to chew! So be careful with that.... Good luck- and I wish u the best- it has been amazing to me- I am actually able to see the girl I was 5 years ago, somewhere in here, and I know that I will look like that again soon!

When I went down to the TJ office to get my first fill there was a United states surgeon shadowing and learning from them down there. The questions she was asking, I even knew the answers to!!! At that point I was thanking my lucky stars that I went to see doctor Ortiz.... People are always so scared of going to Mexico to do any surgeries- but this is one Doctor that I would recomend to everyone and I trust him more than our own doctors here!! I guess it helps that he was one of the originals to begin teaching surgeons all over the world to do it! Just had to get that out!

THis is definitely not what you are going to want to hear!! If you cant drink it through a straw you arent supposed to eat it until you go to solids. I think you would be okay with the cheese as long as it isnt much and you can see it disolve into the soup- if it is still "sticky" you will most likely have issues with it. Watermelon- oh wonderful watermelon- this one is going to be after you are released to full solids- but then again it all depends on how your "new" stomach reacts to it! I am barely at the point where I can have watermelon and that is only because I am in dire need of a fill!! You will find that many people have different foods that give them difficulties - but the time you go through this the most is after your first fill. Good luck!!!

Hi! I am going to say- if your doctor has not been doing this, I would suggest going to a new doctor!!!!!! They should always take it out and measure it! Depending on where you are- Lori may have some suggestions of who you should go to.... She has some highly recommended people on her lists and keeps great follow up notes. Why dont you go to the doctor your dad is going to? All this time.... I am so sorry hun! Once you get a doctor that is more "seasoned" I think you will definitely see the results!! Talk to your dad's doctor- I would. Hope this helps- I would be so frustrated if I was you- couldnt even imagine!!!! Best of luck.

The topic at hand..... A very common feeling! the reason most of us get the band is because our relationships with food have reached an unhealthy level- too much love...HAHHAHA. It is okay to feel that you regret getting the band at first- I mean if you really wanted to give up food- you would have never had a problem dieting!!! You will eventually be able to eat some of the things you love- and your eyes will always be bigger than your stomach. But when you see the results- you will see that it is well worth it! in between fills you have to be careful and watch for signs of eating too much! At first it feels wonderful to be able to eat bigger meals- but then you dont see anymore results....and you realize that it comes with a price! I am learning this right now, actually. I was dilligent on my first fill and got it right away, but I am in definite need of a fill and put it off because it was nice to eat bread and spaghetti!! But if I want to reach my goal- I will have to go back to mashed potatoes and beans for a while!! Eventuall y you will always get abck to that point where you can eat better- sacrifice is key- or compromise...Good luck hun- and congratulations on getting your band...It really is the best way for food addicts to reach their goals. It is VERY hard to change your relationship with food- and it is good to have support- I myself dont have that- so it is extra tough! Be strong and know that you have a lifelong solution to a lifelong problem!! Best wishes.

Hey Lori! You look absolutely gorgeous in your newer photo! Just had to tell u that!

HI DESTINY- YOU GUYS R SO LUCKY U GET TO DO IT TOGETHER- I WAS ALONE AND I WISH I HAD HAD SOMEONE WITH ME LET ALONE GOING THROUGH THE SURGERY PROCESS WITH ME... GOOD LUCK- IT REALLY IS WORTH IT- JUST MAKE SURE THAT U LISTEN TO YOUR BODY IT IS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE BECAUSE YOUR BODY AND MIND ARE GOING TO BE ADAPTING TO A NEW WAY OF LIFE AND OLD HABBITS SOMETIMES FRUSTRATE YOU. IT IS SORT OF HARD TO LEARN WHAT TO SPEND YOUR TIME DOING SINCE YOU DONT NEED TO EAT ALL THE TIME- LIKE NEW DISTRACTIONS...IT IS GOOD TO THINK OF A PLAN OF THINGS U WILL DO WHEN U WNAT TO SNACK (CUZ IF U R NOT REALLY HUNGRY AND U EAT- IT WILL NOT FEEL GOOD AT ALL) SO MAYBE U GUYS COULD FIGURE SOME THINGS OUT TOGETHER. U GUYS MAKE ME SO JEALOUS! LOL. GOOD LUCK GUYS....

Hi Eric- well the uncomfort that u feel after the surgery is more like a tightening of the chest and upper abdomin area- basically it doesnt hurt but it u feel different and out odf your comfort zone.... The uncomfort of the bad after your fill and u have eaten too much- is like swallowing a huge piece of ICE (until u chuck it up and then u feel better!)... Chew well and eat slow is all I can say! hahaha. AS SOON AS U FEEL LIKE U ARE FULL- STOP!!!!! BECAUSE ONE MORE BITE IS ALL IT TAKE S TO RUIN YOUR NICE LITTLE MEAL! U MAY THINK U WANT TO TASTE ONE MORE BIT- DONT DO IT.... THERE IS A REASON U R GETTING THE BAND AND THAT IS SO THAT U DONT HAVE TO EAT EVERYTHING JUST BECAUSE IT IS THERE- REMEMBER THAT OR U WILL LEARN THE HARD WAY LIKE ME. HAHAHAHA.

Hi!!! :-h First I would like to say congratulations on your band date! Second I would like to say I cant speak for anyone else- but the majority of my weight loss was before my first fill- I was banded January 18th and I had my first fill March 5th- to date I have lost 31 lbs- and since the fill I have been losing about a lb a week. I think toward the end- right before I got my fill- I didnt feel any restriction and saw myself eating a lot more. For a lot of people they dont feel any restriction because there is no fill when u r first banded. Lucky for me it felt uncomfortable and well restricted until the last week or so. Just be sure to get your fill as soon as u notice that u r eating more than u should. Although it will feel nice to be able to eat after everything!! lol! Dont be nervouse about the procedure- my c-section with my twins was a million times worse than this- let me tell you that after the surgery- the next day- I went walking all over TJ with a bandster that also had surgery the same day I did- we wlked all over- and although it was a little uncomfortable- it was not painful. I was walking like crazy because they told me to- I didnt know why- and let me tell u I didnt feel any of the gas pains and pressure in the shoulder that everyone talks about- be sure to walk. Be careful with mental hunger after surgery though- that was the hardest part. I missed the action of chewing (while oin liquids)- not so much the food (like I thought). And when u start eating solids- especially after your first fill- try not to eat unless u have time to sit down and eat SLOWLY. I find that when I am in a hurry - I eat faster-then I dont chew as well and then it gets stuck- and that pain is HORRIBLE! It is well worth the lifestyle change though- I promise. It is so nice to know that the weight u lose is gone for all of your life (for most people). Good luck- nice to meet you.

Hi!! WEll I was banded Jan. 18th with the smaller 4cc band. It has not been three months but I was dilligent on getting my fill right at 6 weeks ( I was starting to eat too much - event houghit felt good not to have to chew everything a miillion and a half times!! haha). I started at 280 lbs. and I am now at 253. I am so happy to see that I was able to lose 27 lbsin this time- although it is not as fast as you would hope- but it took me three years to gain more than 150lbs. So I figure it should take at least half that to lose it. I am just so happy that I finally invested in something that actually works and is not harmful (PILLS) to my body or my thyroid (most of the weight loss pills arent supposed to be taken if you hae a thyroid disease- and well...... I still took them). Although I still cant recognize the person ion the mirror (I went from being severely underweight to massively overweight in three years)- I know that someday soon I will be able to. Now the bigger problem- what to do to keep your skin adjusting to the loss with you- I am so afraid of excess skin- what is the point of being little again- if you are still not going to be comfortable in your own skin (or excess skin! lol ). It is soooo nice to know that you ARE going to lose the weight- and now you can just focus on all your other insecurities! hahaha- life is funny like that, huh?

Hi!! Okay, so first off take a breath!! lol! I just had my first fill last Monday- I had 1.6 ccs put in. I still eat most of the foods I like- but I have to really - really - really chew. The hard thing is chewing it all that time without swallowing any of it in the process! I do know that I am not able to eat much of it at all but I can eat what I like as long as I chew like crazy. last night my dinner consisted of 3 fish sticks and 2 bites of salad. not quite a MEAL - but it was stuff I like. Today i only ate dinner- which was 4 bites of chicken and 3 bites of mashed potatoes. Just take it really slow- I know it is hard- but it will let u eat what u like sweetie. best of luck. Oh and make sure not to drink afterwards because for some reason it makes me fell sick to my stomach. I know I wasnt supposed to but sometimes I feel like I need to...... DONT DO IT! take care and I hope this was helpful.

:-h hello everyone! I am scheduled for a fill on March 5th. I fear the trolly and bus transportation is not fast enough to get me to the doc in time so I will be taking the OCC transportation, I believe I arrive at SD airport at 9:14 and my fill is at 10:30- anybody else gonna be there then? I am eager to get this fill because I have slowed down a lot in my weight loss- and I notice I am eating more. This will be my first fill- so I am nervouse at the same time. My flight out is at 8:30 - does anyone know if the transportation is 130 bucks one way- or is it round trip so to speak? lol!

Hey Diane!! Ncie to meet you. I am getting banded on the 18th but I am flying in at 6 in the morning that same day. I too am excited, scared, nervous, and kind of worried about how to handle this change in life- you know- the whole food not being the basis of your day and going out not being about food- I guess this is a good way to get to know yourself better huh? lol! What time are you flying in on the 18th? I leave here at 6 and I am supposed to be down there by 9 so maybe we can meet up????? Either way- I wish you the best of luck- how is your pre-op weight loss going? mine has been up and down- it is really hard with my bad thyroid (they have me on the wrong dose of meds- it is too low). I dont know how to reply to you outside of this so I hope you see this soon! lol! Take care sweetie.