AngelaAnn

You are probably only going to get glowing reviews on this site. We all love Dr. Ortiz and Martinez! They're the best!

I lose in spurts. I stayed at a 20 pound loss (all lost on the liquid phase) for the first 4 months, then lost 10 pounds with my second fill over 3 months and now I've lost the other 16 pounds with the third since February. I'm pretty sure I'm going to need another fill within a month or so, but I admit, once I saw 207 and the 100's were in sight, I've been busting my ass at the gym 5x a week. Also, I gain and lose the same 3 pounds a bunch before the scale moves "for good." It's really strange, actually.

Thank you! You're doing amazing for only being 3ish weeks out!

At least you did it and you look great! I get that "you don't look like you weigh 200+ pounds" all the time, I think it's 'cause I'm 5'9 and carry it all over--basically an even spread of fat, if you will.

Congrats on "onederland"! Love your new photo! Yeah, my friend told me to pose so, I posed where you couldn't see the hanging skin on my arms. Thank you! I feel really good.

Thank you Ashley! How are you doing with the band?

I cannot believe it--I'm 9.5 months out and finally, I can almost taste 199! 202 this morning. I truly might cry the day I look at the scale and see a '1' instead of a '2'. I just turned 29 a couple of weeks ago and I have not been this weight since 7th grade. You want to know something else, too? I never realized I didn't have confidence when I was 250 lbs. I always thought that I would be a 'big' girl and I was always told I had a 'pretty' face and I believed I would always be the fat friend or the third wheel. I had one boyfriend through my twenties and never dated. Last week, I went out on two dates with two different dudes who both told me I was beautiful, which was flattering not only because they told me, but because I finally believed it. I know I still have a bit of a ways to go, but it is truly amazing that I feel 'normal' for once and comfortable in my own skin. And I am thankful for this forum and I will continue to journey alongside all of you in our quests for our outsides to match our insides. So, after all that mushiness--anyone else close to onederland??

I totally take adult gummy vitamins--2 a day. I get mine at costco. It's $10 for a bottle of 200.

Yeah, the post-op was weird. I wasn't hungry for like the first 12 days, then the last week I was hungry!!! And it wasn't head hunger. And I feel you on the fatigue/dizziness/fuzziness, there really was nothing to be done. Someone told me that's your body's way of preserving your "living" functions when it's not really getting enough nutrition. And there was no way I was able to eat even 1000 calories on liquids. Congratulations!

I was a daily morning weigher--now I usually weigh once a week. I am happy to report that I haven't weighed in 10 days and this morning I got on and weighed 204.6!! I'm so close to being under 200 I can taste it! Good Luck!!

The OCC made me wait four weeks. But with the second fill I definitely got good restriction going from 2cc's to 2.8cc's in my 4cc band. I now have 3.0cc's after my third fill in Feb.--had amazing restriction for 3 months, now it's starting to loosen up a bit. Will probably need another in a month or so.

Look at your paperwork. I know that I wasn't allowed jello or pudding on full liquids. Mainly I lived on water, juice, popsicles, protein shakes, gatorade, and drinkable yoplait. And the occasional cream based creamy soup. Though I wasn't a soup eater then, and I loathe it even more now! Good Luck!

Yup! My left upper arm deflated skin hangs noticablely lower than my right. It's really annoying, but someone told me if I kept up my strength training for a year, it should help itself out. I'm pretty sure I'm going to need an arm lift.

I had mine done in Mexico at the OCC too. I believe it was $7000--I live in San Diego so I didn't need hotel or airline fees. Fills are $100 under flouroscopy. Unfills are $30

Good Luck and for everyone that's never been to Mexico---they run on their own time system that is different from the U.S. Getting fills are the worse for me. The actual fill only takes about 10 minutes but they make you wait 1.5 hours or more before the fill. My second fill was the worse. Over two hours. Everything will go smoothly and I hope to read more of your entertaining posts on your adventures in T.J.!!

I was on a plateau for 3.5 months. Since my third fill in February I've lost 21 lbs. Now I'm back on a plateau. I'm pretty sure that I only lose well if I eat about 1000 calories a day and work out 4x a week. But I can tell my fill is starting to loosen up a bit, but like many money is tight right now so I'm going to try and milk this fill for another month. Right now, I'm just desperately trying to lose these last 8 lbs. in the 200's so I can be in the 100's. Now that I've had my last finals, I have almost three weeks off before summer school and my goal is to try and get under 200. I really want to be in the 180's by my one year bandiversary in August. I think it's doable, but these plateaus are really annoying when you try to do everything right. Gook Luck to all of us!

Yeah, my gas pains didn't start until a few days after surgery. I had bad gas pains for about 4 weeks and walking didn't really help me much, but lying down did. Also, anyway you can get the gas out is good. I was never much of a farter but I was a farting machine for about the first 4 months. At about 6 months, I'm back to being non-gassy. Good Luck. It does get better. Sitting for long periods was terrible for me as well.

I want your new arms! My stomach hasn't been too bad because I never carried tons of weight there--all in my ghetto booty and legs, but my arms have been the bane of my existence. They're always bigger and now I've got fun hanging skin. Doesn't seem to matter how much I do strength training, they just get floppier. I'm totally going to have them sucked and tucked once I get closer to goal.

Great post! I am so happy for you and it is amazing that you already have the support in the form of a friend with a band. I wish I did--Congrats on your decision! My weight is coming off slowly, but it's coming off! I love it.

Congrats! I can't wait until I make 50 lbs.--only 9 more to go! (Love your wig!!)

I only have problems with carbs mainly bread and rice and beef if I don't chew until it's liquid. I do have a problem with corn, but not popcorn. Everything else goes down fine that's listed.

Hi Paula, I had the band last August and I still struggle with the head hunger, but it has helped me immensely with my binge eating. I used to eat my emotions whether I was angry, happy, sad, celebrating, etc and I used to think about food constantly. I'd plan what I was going to eat, when, where, etc. You get the picture. Now sometimes it's a chore to eat and I probably eat 1/2 or sometimes 1/3 of what I used to eat. Though I haven't lost as fast as some, I am happy with the results because it helps limit the amount of food I can eat. I excercise 4x a week which I didn't do before, so that's probably helped and I've gone from a tight size 20 pant to a regular 16 (not 16W) and a 3x top to a regular xl. I know I've still got another 40 pounds or so to take off, but if you can swing it or find a way, I wouldn't trade this band in for anything.

I totally agree with everything you're saying--I just gave half my closet away to my Grandma for her lawnbowling rummage sale. And I tried on everything before I put it in the bag to make sure. The clothes just look soooo frumpy when they hang. Question: did your heart burn ever go away? It was so weird. The minute I started my TOM, it went away and my band loosened up. Right now, it's a bit too loose, but better than too tight any day in my opinion! Congrats on the new clothes! I'm going to have to buy a new bra or two soon as my boobs--they are a-deflating. Back to a B cup for me.

Congrats and Happy Birthday! My 29th is next week! I hoping to enjoy my last year in my twenties being able to shop in a regular store. 60lbs. is great and you're not even a year out! I was told 50-60 in the first year is normal for female bandsters. We just don't lose it as fast as the men. My goal is to just be under 200 by my one year in August. I really want it. Your weight now is actually close to my goal weight! I think a size 10 is the perfect number. You can always find that size in the store.