Carol-TX

Well, it's been a while, but with all of your suggestions and encouragement, I've finally begun to loose as you can see from my ticker. In December 2011 I finally talked my bariatric surgeon to give me another x-ray to see if my band had slipped. It had not. The nurse practioner would not give me any more fillings. She said that I was at 7 cc and I could have no more even though I had a large band. She said that I wasn't doing my part. I just felt that there was more to the story. The band should be helping me, but I could not even tell I had a band. After getting nowhere with my bariatric center, I went back to my primary care physician and asked for a consultation/second opinion from another bariatric surgeon. My appointment was January 5th. The difference in their attitude was huge. They drew out my filling and found that I actually only had 6 cc, so they gave me another one. The difference was amazing! I could feel the band. Wow! I didn't know that's how it would feel. I had lost my 1st 8 pounds from the Friday before Christmas until I went to the new doctor's office, and that was a huge struggle. Since that day, I've lost 4 more pounds and it is so much easier. Granted I am taking the antidepressent, but I can tell the band is working now. When I eat meat 1st, I can't eat very much. I've been off of sweets since then, and it has been easy because I'm not hungry all the time. I have had no problem saying "No" to sweets - even donuts!! What a relief, not to be craving sweets all the time. The new doctor said that I still have some wiggle room with my band. I'm so glad he took me as his patient. Thank you all for your help.

I never expected anyone to notice my post. WOW!! You guys are amazing. I really appreciate those comments. I needed to hear those words of encouragement from people who have gone through this. I had not thought of myself as "not willing" to do the work. I thought "I can't". Hum. Sabotage. Hum. I will give up the bread and sweets somehow. I will hold on to the statement that the craving will go away in a couple of weeks. I just have to make it that far. I have been paying for a membership at Gold's Gym for two months, so I will try to get in the habit of going. I took your advice and talked to my primary care doc, and he put me on an antidepressent. I'm going to make an appt. with the psychologist associated with my weight loss clinic. I guess I haven't reached the "sweet spot" yet even though I have had 4 fillings, because the doc said that I had so much "in-grown" fat around my organs that he had to put the band around fat and stomach. I think it just doesn't squeeze my stomach enough yet, as I can eat a regular hamburger or 6" sub easily. Thanks again. I WILL keep trying to put "a band around my head" now.

I have failed totally with my lab band which I got in April 2011. I know it's my fault because I still eat pizza and a small amount of sweets. But the diet is so restrictive, I couldn't stay on a diet to begin with, and that's why I got the band. I don't exercise because I feel so bad all the time. I just want to get home from work and sleep. I push so hard to keep going, but I don't know how long I can keep that up. Trying to eat the way they want is causing so much stress. I try every day, and every day I fail.

This is my third try for the surgery, so third time on the two week liquid pre-op diet. The first time, the surgery was postponed during the second week on my diet, because I had to have some female work done first. The second time, this January, I got the flu about 4 days before my surgery. I actually lost 20 pounds during the second try on the diet. I could not stand the protein shakes, but I found that I could tolerate the Isopure much easier. It's thin and relatively clear, so it is not hard to swallow. Some flavors are more pleasant than others, but I could drink most of them. Also there are 40 gm protein in a 20 oz bottle, so I only have to drink 1/2 bottle 3 times a day. Strangely enough after about 2 days, I noticed that I didn't get hungry before lunch. I did get a little queezy though and nibbled a couple of soda crackers each time. Worked fine. Well, my surgery is scheduled for March 14th, so I'll start the diet AGAIN on Feb 28th. I do get to eat steamed or raw vegies though. Thank goodness for Steam-Fresh vegies and salad.

Wow. That's a real bummer. I was feeling sorry for myself because my journey got postponed a few weeks because I need another trip to the pulmonologist. Just do what the doc says - the time will pass by quicker if you are really engaged in an exercise program at a gym with others. Don't forget to write in your food diary every day. Hang in there. You'll get there.

Wow, that's awesome. I'm not really exercising now before my surgery like I'm supposed to. Just so tired. Maybe it will be easier when I start loosing.

I can't BELIEVE IT. The add under my post is a box of donuts. What the heck???!!!:smile2:

:smile2: I have been ssooo disappointed and dejected all week. I was so excited about getting my surgery date of 11-11. Then when I went in for my pre-surgery work up, the nurse pract. said that I was no longer cleared for surgery. My GYN had wanted to do a minor surgery that he said would not interfere with my lap-band. But the lap band folks did not agree. So we pushed the lap band back to 11-22 with the GYN surgery to be Mon 11-8. THEN my potassium dropped to 2.7 because of the quick water loss from the liquid protein diet, so that put a screaching halt on everything. The potassium went back to normal after I began eating again. After a long talk with the GYN he decided that I need more work from the pulmonary folks before we do any surgery. Bummer. xq!@#$%&^. I was so darn close, but I just knew something would happen and it wouldn't get done. They say it will still happen soon. The GYN is trying to push the pulmonary visit to be soon. I hope, I hope. Hope everyone of you Nov folks have good luck. Hang in there! We'll all be successful.

Good luck. I was Nov 11th, but it all fell through.

My journey came to a screaching halt. More on that in a new post. Hope all is going well for you.

Do you mean solid proteins? My proteins were liquid, but the steamed vegies did help once I added them. Then all came crashing down. I'll write about it in a new post.

My date WAS 11-11. But complications set in. I've been so bummed out, I haven't been back to this site.

Today was the first day of my 2-week pre-op diet. Totally focused. Did well all day even though I got really weak and tired about 2:30. Did OK this evening until my husband cooked a T-bone steak. Oh-ug-hoh-my. That smell is doing a number on me. But I'll make it! I guess I'll be at this site a lot trying to keep motivated. :thumbup: