Official weigh in stats:
Starting weight: 234 lbs
Current weight: 148 lbs
Overall loss: 86 lbs
Lbs to goal: -1 lbs
BMI: 22.5 - (Normal weight = 18.5-24.9)
Clothing size: 6 or 8! Most of the times a 6! (Yipee) Shirt: S/M
I answered the questions below before and thought I would do it again. If anyone wants to know anything, please feel free to ask in the comments. No question is off limits as I hope people get some value out of this. (Some of the answers remained the same as last time.)
How many fills have you had?
- 1st fill – 1.2cc – 12/21
- 2nd fill – 1.8cc – 1/25
- 3rd unfill - was just too tight - went to 1.4cc
- 4th unfill - dilated pouch - complete unfill
- 5th fill - .6cc
Are you going to stay at your current fill level?
Yes for now. I am going to go in and get things checked out in the next couple of weeks. I have not been particularly hungry and have even lost a few pounds so will stay here for now. I am actually thinking that I was still a bit too tight prior to the unfill and am thinking that may have caused the dilation. I don't know for sure, just a feeling.
I am going to maintain for a bit. If I lose, I lose. I don't plan on consciously trying to though - at least for now. Then I may go after the 9 lbs.
What size clothes are you wearing?
Generally, a 6/8 in pants. Shirt - S/M (boobs still remain. Yippeee)
What do you eat in a typical day?
I always start with a venti non-fat latte from Starbucks that I sweeten with equal for breakfast. It helps loosen me up, I get protein, and a good calcium fix. For lunch, pretty much whatever. If I'm tight - which you can tell over time - I'll have something soft. For dinner, I'm loosest then and eat pretty much anything. I pretty much stay away from pasta and bread. When I do eat some, it might be a bit of pasta or crackers---pasta always has a lot of sauce. Dry meat has to have sauce. Chicken breast is tricky. With current fill - I am looser, but for the most part doing the same thing. I am still very careful about dry meat.
Was it worth it?
Yes, it was. I stress though that I would only recommend it as a last resort. I felt I was there. I could get the weight off, but just couldn't keep it out without exercising and watching what I ate ALL the time. Now, I live a life of moderation on everything and the weight stays off. I have consistently remained the same or lost weight. It was worth every penny and I was self-pay.
Have you had any problems?
Yes. You'll see in the beginning of my blog that shortly after my surgery I swore my stitches in my port popped. Everybody told me no way and not to worry about it. When I went in for my fill, it had. So it is on it's side. I still have not had it fixed, but if I lose the 9 lbs I will likely have to. At certain angles, you can kind of see a bump right now. Then of course there is the most recent dilation.
Have you pb'd?
Yep. When I was too tight, a lot. Now, I pretty much know how and what to eat depending on the tightness of my band. When/if I have problems, it is around my period. I have learned sometimes it is best not to fight it and let it happen. This seems to work for me and then does not lead to repeated pb's or irritiation. With the current fill level, no pbs at all. (BTW - What is a pb? Simply put - throwing up. It seems to be a nice way of saying it for bandsters.)
What rules do you follow?
Eat slowly. Take small bites. Don't eat first thing in the morning. When I feel full - stop. Don't drink with meals. No soda. That pretty much sums it up. There aren't a lot of them. These are pretty much the standard bandster rules. The latest addition is the first bite rule. I am sure to chew well and make sure it is small. There is some suspicion that not doing this may have contributed to the dilation. Again, no one knows for sure.
Any questions? Please let me know.
