DebbieB

Thanks everyone for your replies. It has reiterated what I already knew. I need to start moving and journaling on my food! My son starts school next week and I will have more time available to get to the gym and really make a committed effort to making something happen! I have started tracking my food on sparkpeople.com and it really helps to see what's going in. I can also see when I'm not getting enough protein which is a tough area for me. Thanks again, Debbie

Hi Everyone, I haven't been on the forum for a while but I know its where I've needed to come. I am four months post-op and feel a bit frustrated. My initial weight loss was encouraging to me (lost 22 pounds from my decision date to about the 1 month post surgery mark). Since then I have teetered within a 5 pound zone and its just not budging. I have an 11 cc band, surgery date of April 22, 2010, and currently have 8.4 cc filled between 4 fills. I can eat more than half of my pre-surgery amount but I'm not stuffing my mouth just because I can either. I usually have a Fusion Juice or V8 for breakfast since I am not a real big breakfast person anyway. I have felt some restriction at times but never on a consistent basis. I've had once instance of having something come back up but it was after eating, and chewing very carefully, half of a bagel and I won't be doing that again! My fat percentage has gone down by 4% which is good, but I just feel frustrated that I haven't continued to lose weight and I'm not sure what to do. I have not had a consistent exercise routine but I am going tomorrow morning. I know that will always help but on the food side I just don't see the restriction like I thought I would while I am at 8.44 cc in an 11 cc band! Is there anyone out there who can give me advice or they've been in this place before? The feelings before of having my clothes be lose and being so hopeful for my future have seemed to fade away and I'm not completely down about it all, still have hope that it will work out for me, but I am frustrated. My plan this week is to start my exercise routine and also start logging in all of my food eaten into an online journal. Is there anyone out there who has more in their band or reached a good restriction point higher up in the 8's or 9's on an 11 cc band? I went to OCC for my first fill and then I've had my subsequent fills at a local fill center. (2 fills were blind and one was with fleuro) Just not sure what to do... Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I'm going to Paris for my 10 year anniversary in November and I'd really like to be feeling better with my weight and maybe not be so squished in those darned airline seats!!

You made me smile to read your entry and how excited you are! I think that is great and now I'm excited for you! I had my surgery on 4/22/10 and had my first fill on 6/2/10. You are doing great with your outlook and it is such a cool thing to be able to look forward and be confident that things are going to get better for you! I am excited about the future as well! I take each day one at a time and don't ever give up. Keep us updated on your journey! Debbie

I am wondering if there are any other bandsters that take large vitamins or supplements and how that goes. I used to take EFA (Essential Fatty Acid) capsules and they are quite large. I'm not sure about taking them now but I would like to if I can. If you take them do them get broken down in the pouch or do they have to go through the stoma and they could get stuck? Anyone who has any experience or into on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Thanks so much for posting all of your experiences with the surgery! Its interesting to read and helpful to know what it would be like to go through the surgery. I am only at the beginning of my journey but I'm looking forward to the day when I'll need that other kind of surgery! Debbie

Good for you to figure out what's going to work to relax you or comfort you instead of food and wine! I didn't like the pre-op diet much either but before you know it, you'll be done with the surgery on your way to the new you! The liquid phase wasn't near as bad as I thought it would be either. Debbie

Hi, I had my surgery on April 22, 2010 and I got some paid medication from the OCC to take but I didn't really feel like I needed it much at all. I think it was like an anti-inflammatory. I think you'll be surprised (hopefully) that you'll be up and moving around much more than you think after a surgery. They recommend to walk to work out any leftover gas in your body - some people get pain in their shoulders, etc. but I didn't have any of that. It was a dream as far as a surgery goes. Good luck to you, I hope it goes great and that you feel good! Debbie

Hi Terri, Did they switch your hotel from the Lucerna to the Marriott? I am asking because I'm coming down this week and they called to switch me to the Marriott due to construction at the Lucerna?? Just wondering if others got switched as well. Debbie

Hi! I think its great that you are being real with yourself and real with all of us bandsters. Its definitely not an easy road but you continue to persevere and press on. Not giving up and keeping on going is great for all of us to see. It doesn't happen overnight and maybe at the pace your going it is the best thing for you and being able to process in your mind your relationship with food and with yourself. I am going to start going to counseling for my issues with food since I know that even if I lose a bunch of weight, all of the tendencies are still there, lurking just under the radar! Congratulations on your one year of having the surgery. May you have more and more successes and keep up the good attitude! Debbie

Hi, I keep reading about sip, sip, sipping and I'm wondering how things work with water and drinking as much as we need. I am an avid water drinker and since getting off of the liquid diet I haven't really had much restriction at all. I am not sure if I'm supposed to be sipping water or is it okay to drink a lot at one time. I know that liquids will go through but if I drink 2 cups of water after I've had a fill, is that going to go right through or will it cause problems with the pouch since its so much water at once? I am SO used to just guzzling my water, especially if I am hot or exercising. I love how I can come on this website and really get great answers from people who have been through it all and really 'know' how things work. I am certainly a work in progress and I'm looking forward to continuing my journey especially after my first fill. Debbie

Thanks SO much for the responses. It really helps to personally hear from others about how things go. I think I am just SO ready to get rid of all the weight that I don't sit back and think about all the things that happened for me to get to that point. It came on over many years and it's not going to drop off overnight, although I would really like that! I go in for my first fill on June 2nd at the OCC so I am really looking forward to it. I am also going to Maui in July and I think in my mind I wanted to have lost so much more by the time I go. I need to realize that losing the weight will be great and very healthy but I can be confident as a person at whatever point I am at in this journey. Thanks again everyone! Debbie