mona-camille

Uh yeah I am kind of saying that 5 cc in a 10 cc band is less than 2 cc's in a 4 cc band. Not mathematically obviously, but it is rare that 5 cc's in a 10 cc band gives restriction. Your friend is very lucky. It just takes a lot more to get restriction with a 10 cc band, whether is 1/2 full 3/4 full or 1/3 full. Didn't mean to stike a nerve with you though, sorry honey!! But since I am on this 'positive, thinking thin kick' I'll just say that NO MATTER WHAT CC'S I HAVE IN MY BAND I WILL BE THIN, and SOON too! I can feel it melting off me already and I will even have gorgeous legs like you!!!

The thinking thing part of you could have said "Yeah, but not for long"! I am trying very very hard to think thin and to be more positive in ALL areas of my life and am pretty good at turning things around to be more positive whenever I can. I swear, this kooky book did a world of wonders for me! The Law of Attraction, get it, read it, and soar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm trying and so far my scale went down 2 pounds FINALLY and my stomach shrunk several inches too! Oh yeah some pointers the book mentioned also, look at skinny people and admire them. Tell yourself that you will look like that very soon. You WILL be thin, you are losing weight every single day! You CAN eat that cookie and not gain weight. It really is a great book, just kind of kooky but it is still alright. Hey look, it can't hurt, right?

Well, which do you want more? To continue to smoke or to be skinny? Take your pick and do it. Life savers helped me tremendously as did gum!

Kim, the amounts don't equal the same, not really. If you have your smaller band 1/2 full, you have a lot more restriction than if the larger band is half full. I am at 8.5 cc's with no restriction even though that is a lot more than 1/2 full. The difference is that you need larger amounts of saline and you can only get a certain amount at each fill so it takes more fills to get up there where you need to feel restriction. If you inject too much saline at one time in a band, you run the risk of it mushrooming and ruining the band. Thats why it takes longer to get the larger band filled to the right spot. At least that is what Dr. So and Dr. Romero told me at OCC. If you would have gotten the same amount of saline that I did in my very first fill, 3.5 cc's you would have been filled way too much and would have not been able to even get water down. So, you can't really compare the two, not really. But hey, I wish you could cuz I'd give anything to feel some restriction!

I have the larger vg band as do a few other people here. It is rare I guess but there are still some people here that do have it. I am on my 5th fill with 8.5 cc's and still no restriction. Yes, given all the posts on here, it is MUCH quicker getting to your 'sweet spot' with the smaller one.

I think size 12 sounds nice too! And that is exactly how the so called "Law Of Attraction" is supposed to work. Act and see yourself as you want to be and you will be that!

WOW look at that bod on you! You got some great looking curves! If I was a man, I'd be all over you!

My fill doctor in maryland explained it to me this way..........the LONGER you are fat, the more your muscle and bones weigh. They need to gain weight to match the fat weight you gain to be able to hold your body up. But, when you lose fat weight, you do not lose bone or muscle weight so that is why fat people never ever are able to get back down to their original skinny size. That is, if you have been heavy for a long time. Because, although you may loe all your fat, you can't lose the bone and muscle weight you gained.

I have 8 cc's in my 10 cc band but was banded in MARCH!! How did you all get so high so quick? And I still don't have restriction. But to answer your question, yes it stays there, it doesn't go away.

Is that you Mindi? My band buddy from 3/24? You changed your hair and you are freaking skinny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You're hot in that picture!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't buy ANY jewelry, it is all fake. Even the pieces that they show you with a purity stamp on it. They have learned how to fake that too. Now, if you don't care about the quality and will wear it as costume jewelry, then fine, but just realize none of it is real. Do not pay full price for anything either - on Revolution Avenue. Hewever, if you go to the mall, its' just like ours, overpriced and you can't barter. There are Pharmacias all over the place. You can't miss them. The reason they tell you to take off your jewelry is because the Mexicans assume you have lots of money if you wear it and they will not let you alone. Plus, why risk having good jewelry stolen? Leave it home, no need for it there. Try to remember, since you are both having the surgery done, you both have to carry your own bags over the border. So, you don't want to buy too much because it will make your bags too heavy to carry alone. And after surgery, you aren't supposed to life anything heavy for a while. So pack as lightly as you can and save the hordes of shopping for another time, like when you go back for your first fill. I'm not saying don't buy anything, just keep it light so you can haul it back home easily.

Is there one that anyone knows of that is relatively cheap? I'll be there in 3 weeks and it would benice to get a fill while I am there.

Stormie, if you expect trouble, you are going to get trouble. So just stop and think positive. Then everything will be ok.

Welcome, and congratulations on your decision. Where in Pa are you? I am in Bethlehem, Pa.

You need to get off the phentermine. If I am not mistaken, the OCC will not do the surgery if you are on pills like that.

You are totally right about this! If it is meant to be, it will happen. If not, there is a good reason for it so try not to despair.

Funny, but I was happy to pb my first time also! No, it wasn't fun at all and hurt like heck, but I was glad because it meant SOME restriction. I did talk to the OCC and all they said was to come back out there when I could afford it and they would check me out. THis last fill I got hasn't seemed to make any difference yet. But on the bright side, yesterday at work 2 different people came up to me and said WOW you are looking great! So, even though the scale doesn't move, something must be shifting.

Damn girl, you're hot!

Mexico has clean water now. They have spent several years and tons of money to clean up their water. Although it's tough to beleive, you no longer need to fear the water in Mexico. It is fine. Especially in big places like Tijuana. You might still find bad water in the poorer sections, but you are fine where you are going.

Oh honey, good for you!!!!!!!!!! I am so very happy for you. This is great news! By the way, did you get something from me in the mail yet?

And.....my first 2 fills WERE done by the OCC and only got me up to 5 cc's at the time. And I didn't have restriction then, so I don't see how he can even say that a gal only needs 1 - 2 in a lifetime. Doesn't even make any sense actually.

Ok, I understand that and not exactly something I wanted to hear though. I mean, thinking the band was too big was kind of my last hope. Also, you said to take small steps and I'll be happier, but that is tough. I was banded back in March. That is small steps. Thanks for the info, I do appreciate it. Just hard to keep my chin up after all this time and money.

Because there was just a recent post about getting only 1 to 2 fills per lifetime and that any more than that could cause stretching. I was projecting, assuming that some on here would say I was doing something wrong. I did speak to Dr. So after the 4th fill and he was thinking I didn't truly have 8 cc's in there, but this fill, they did confirm there was indeed 8 cc's in there. Dr. So said I should go back to the OCC for a check. But, I just don't have the money or even the vacation days from work anymore this year. I guess I am super frustrated because I was banded back in March for crying out loud!

here in my town so no more driving far away for it. I am now up to 8.5 cc's in my 10 cc band. This doctor DID pull all of the fluid out and he did say I do indeed have the full amount. (I was previously worried that the last doctor 'missed' my port). What he is concerned about (and is the same thing the last fill doctor I went to in Maryland said) is that 8.5 is a lot! He is very surprised that I don't feel much restriction. I have 'some' but not much. He said if this 1/2 cc doesn't help, I need to have an upper GI to see if my band slipped or stretched or something. I don't think that has happened because the first 2 fills I had were under fluro and it was fine. I do not drink with my meals, I do not stuff myself and I DO follow the rules so I really don't think that is it. My gut feeling is this...........yeah, might be stupid, but my gut feeling just the same.......... is that the 10 cc band was too big for me. I know that seems weird and Dr. Ortiz definitely knows what he is doing, but it sure seems that way. I mean, if I have little to no restriction now, what is .5 cc's going to do? Ok, I KNOW that .5 cc's can make a difference, but then I am also thinking, doesn't the band loosen up with weight loss? If that is the case, and my band is as tight as it can get, but I have more weight to lose, then what? Last week, I was super tight and I am quite sure it had to do with stress and I even pb'd twice. But it was only for 3 days and now I am fine. I just don't understand why I have been on this roller coaster since March with little to no results. And with 8.5 cc's I should feel something. I did see in another post Lisa mentioned thinking yourself thin and someoen mentioned the Law Of Attraction. Well, I did just finish reading that books and I am trying to change my attitude. I DO believe that has a lot to do with it, but it is not easy changing your personality after you have had it for 48 years. Funny though, I have been trying this...seeing myself thin and I did lose 2 pounds. The first loss in months! So, I will keep that up. Otherwise I have to start saving for another Mexico trip.

I have the larger 10 cc band and I have 8 cc's in it already. Going tuesday for my 5th fill. Maybe that will finally bring me restriction. If not, it's back to Mexico I go!