hokiemama

I have had my band for 5 years and although I didn't get down to my goal weight, I had been around 158-165 for a year (my goal was 140). My band became irritated and tight and I started having a lot of difficulty getting any food down. I was miserable and ended up getting all of my Fluid out, so that my esophagus could heal. That was only a couple of months ago. I am now up to 199!!! It is my fault of course. Once my Fluid was out, I was pretty much binging daily. I really am shocked at how much I have gained so FAST though. I finally got 5 ccs of fluid put back in last month. However, I was used to having a lot more than that (8-9 ccs) and the 5 feels like nothing. I went back in yesterday and 1 cc was added. Now that the holidays are over, I have started back with exercise, counting calories, and drinking Water. I am so discouraged though. I was within 20 lbs of my goal weight but now I am 60 lbs away!! I am mad at myself. I know exactly how it happened and how to lose it again, it just SUCKS that I let myself gain the weight back that I said I never would. Good luck to all of those who are starting over again, for the first, second, or tenth time!

Oh man, that sounds frustrating. It's so easy to beat ourselves up about weight gains. Yes, parts of it are within our control but so much of weight loss is a biological and psychological mind field. In other words - it's tough. Kudos to you for staring over and not giving up. Break your goals down into small chunks to help them become more attainable. Be kind to yourself and take your time losing weight the right way. The band should help you feel full with less food, rather than physically restrict you from eating. Good luck as you continue your journey!

Well, I ended up in the ER yesterday. I couldn't get any fluids down and decided I shouldn't wait. They removed the Fluid from my band. They said I needed to wait 4-6 weeks, then come back and they will look at it under X-ray to see how things look before determining if I can start getting Fluid back in....
Fortunately, it gave me instant relief. AND I had NO reflux last night while sleeping. I didn't realize how miserable I was and I was just trying to deal with it. Now, I feel so much better! I have never been so happy to chug water! I will have to be careful over the next couple of months not to binge and gain weight.
Thank you for your support!

@@hokiemama
All the behavior modification in the world wouldn't have helped me. Years and years of bad habits and overeating weren't going to be changed by listening to some nutritionist.
I have had my band for 6 years now. At first it was amazing. A couple of bites and I was done...finished eating! Lost 90 pounds in the first few months.
Then after several months, I noticed I had no restriction.....I could eat anyting I wanted. And I did one day. Stopped in a fast food resturant and had the largest burger they had on the menu.....and ate the WHOLE thing in minutes. I knew something wasn't right. Why wasn't my band stopping me from this? I continued to go to my surgeon and get some small "blind" adjustments....back before he used FLUOROSCOPY. I was so mad and frustrated I was eating everything in sight and gaining weight like no tomorrow. I got so discouraged that I didn't even go back to my surgeon for over a year (BIG MISTAKE on my part!)
When I finally had gained back over half what I had lost, I went back to my surgeon. He had started using FLUOROSCOPY for all band adjustments. My band had come undone....unbuckled! I was the first one (out of over 1000 patients at the time) that had occured to. Lucky me huh?
My surgeon corrected it asap and my band has worked as designed ever since.
Sorry for such a long post, but I agree with the others who've responded. Something is not up to snuff with your band or the adjustment level. And no amount of behavior modification will correct that. I'd be very blunt in finding and getting in to see a surgeon who will look at everything. "Look" being the key word.
Best wishes!

Yesterday I went with my mom. Oh what a great day, of course I am broke now. Got a few outfits for summer and had the most awesome thing happen. My mom called me a b i t c h. Yep, it was great!!!
Why, you ask. Well, we were looking around Ann Taylor (love that store) and I tried on a pair of capri pants with a tank top (just like the mannequin in the window), walked out to show my mom. She really liked the outfit on me so I turned around, lifted the shirt to show the pant size. A SIZE 8! She, says oh you b i t c h quit showing off (in a loving way). It was great.
So I bought the outfit. I fit in some 8s & some 10s, it depends on the cut. I'm happy either way. Here is my new outfit:

I love parmesan cheese crackers. Just put parchment paper on a Cookies sheet. Oven at 375. Pile shredded parm on the sheets like little hay stacks put in the oven for about 8 minutes cool and enjoy. Bakes a lot of the fat off and virtually no carbs!

I had the same issue with feeling my food pass thru my band. I had an appt yesterday and once I told my dr that I can feel the food drop thru my band she immediately made me take a swallow X-ray and found out that the pouch above my band was stretched. She said that if we had not caught it early I might have to have all the Fluid removed from band or surgery to reposition the band. When the pouch stretches you actually start gaining weight because you don't get full restriction. Like you being able to eat a cheeseburger She took out half the fluid out of my band did another X-ray to make sure the pouch size shrank and put me on the liquids for one week and soft foods the next week. Even though you are doing the pouch test you may also need a unfill. I hate to say it ! I had 6 cc in a 10 cc band now I have 3 cc. The unfill leaves you kind of gassy I burped the whole first day after and my stomach is swollen so I have not been hungry. I hope you go to the doctor and have them check you out sometimes self diagnosis will only make a easy fix ( unfill) more complicated by prolonging care.

Hi there. We have the same band and had the same amount of solution in it until I got my fill last week. I only had .2cc put in to help with me being able to eat a whole junior bacon cheese burger too. LOL Don't feel bad. I have had the same feelings that you feel and it does come from forgetting to chew your food and taking smaller bites. In regards to taking meds, I cut mine in half even though the instructions say not too. I'm not trying to end up in the er because I tried to swallow a whole pill. When you go to your appointment, just ask for a couple of point ccs to help with you not eating that junk food we love so much and don't forget to chew, chew, chew. Good luck.

I'm glad you didn't get the fill because I fear you'd be too tight.
Just because you can eat a lot (like a cheeseburger) doesn't mean you need a fill. That band isn't supposed to physically stop you from eating anything and this is why it's so important we stick to band sized portions. The band is supposed to keep you satisfied on less food for longer periods of time, not stop you from over eating.
Here's a great link I think will help considerably: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html

Hey guys,
So I thought maybe it's time to share a success story, I had my surgery 25th June 2011, my starting weight was 231lbs and now it's 152, I worked really hard to get to where I am.
I had a lot of second thoughts to uploading before and after pictures, really didn't have guts but I guess it's time that I did, I still think I need to lose some more, but this is where I'm at now
If you have any success stories, please share them

Thank you for your feedback. I decided not to go for a fill this week. Although I ate a cheeseburger with no pain, I think I am just not listening to my band. When a pill gets stuck its in the mornings as that's when my band is the tightest. I am afriad if I get a fill that I will be too tight and resort to slider foods and that will be worse. I am going to do the 5 day pouch test and see how things feel. I started trying paying closer attention to stop eating when I am "no longer hungry" instead of full. That's the hardest thing for me when the food tastes good. After 2 years I should be passed that, but I am still struggling. If I do the pouch test and feel like I truly need a fill, I will get one. For now, I think it's behavioral!

I am satisfied with my decision so far to wait on the fill. Since I have started actually trying to stop eating when no longer hungry- instead of FULL, I am noticing that I am no longer hungry after a couple of bites. It is so much about how I think mentally than what I feel physically. I have never listened to my body. I have always eaten until really full, almost stuffed. That's why I've been overweight all of my life. food has always been my comfort. Physically hungry or not. It's emotional hunger that the band cannot stop. If you eat even though you are not hungry or keep eating too much when you are no longer hungry, that isn't the band's fault. That's a behavior that I have to work harder to change. I finally decided that if I start to stretch, straighten, and move around because of some discomfort in my chest, THAT'S MY CLUE TO STOP. Duh. I've looked at it as maybe not being at the green zone or not chewing good enough. Either way, it's uncomfortable because my pouch is full. Even if that feeling passes after a few minutes, I need to stop when it first happens. If I can continue doing that, I will be much more successful because that happens within a few bites usually.
The 5 day pouch test is two days of liquids and three days of Proteins. There are lots of websites about it if you google it. It is helpful not only to shrink down the pouch but to get out of the cycle of cravings and eating junk. It can be very helpful, although I haven't made it all 5 days. LOL Slider foods are those foods that you really don't need to chew and they slide right through the band, allowing you to eat more. For example mashed potatoes, ice cream, pudding, etc. So, the good thing is that we can start over with the band. If we screwed up yesterday, do better today. This forum is packed full of success stories. And I have not seen any that were without stuggle or issues along the way. We had to have surgery because we have issues with food. It was nice to hope that the band would make all of that disappear and we would be different people because of it. But in reality, we still have to do a lot of work with our thoughts and behaviors. The band is a tool to help us with that, it won't do it alone.

I so badly wanted to be thin that I had Weight Loss Surgery, something artificial and foreign placed inside my body forever changing how I eat, and even feel about food....

Forgive me in advance if you feel this post is judgmental, it is meant to be. But not of you, it is meant to be judgmental of my own life.
There have been numerous threads from people who want to lose their fat, but don't want to give up a particular food or habit that helped contribute to them being that way. Each time I see one I think to myself "you really don't want to be thin, do you?" then I think "If I only had to give up <Insert food item here> or start doing daily <insert healthy habit here> to be thin, I would do it in a heart beat". But the truth is, that is a lie. I have been fat all my life, I have lost hundreds of pounds, and then found them again and while the LB is a fantastic tool, unless I am willing to make changes that last the rest of my life, the fat it helps me to loose will eventually come back.
So the question I have for myself, "today is how badly do I want to be thin"? What am I willing to do (or not do) to make that happen?

I tell everyone who asks... I'm in the army, and the Fat Guy stigma can really suck, so I had the procedure done.. Being in a workplace filled with Alpha males, you'd think I would shy away and get all macho. Nope. As a senior NCO, it's my job to lead by example, identify your weaknesses and overcome them, so I hide nothing and proudly explain my story.. I've gained nothing but respect from my superiors, peers and subordinates.. Honesty is the best policy.. Until your ready to share just say you had a "lifestyle change" partial truth..

Some people I tell and others I don't. Although I have had a lot of people ask if I was "sick". Hmmm and then I felt compelled to say that I had lapband. After thinking about how to respond to that question the next time someone asked me if I was sick I said yes I was sick of being FAT!!!!

Could she know you had surgery? If she might know then being honest would be the best avenue.
Some people may be able to identify with your eating routines if they see you eat? Not many, but a few? I know if I saw someone(who had lost a lot of weight) eating tiny little bites of food and chewing like it was my last bite of food on this earth i might suspect something?
tmf

Thank you for your feedback. I decided not to go for a fill this week. Although I ate a cheeseburger with no pain, I think I am just not listening to my band. When a pill gets stuck its in the mornings as that's when my band is the tightest. I am afriad if I get a fill that I will be too tight and resort to slider foods and that will be worse. I am going to do the 5 day pouch test and see how things feel. I started trying paying closer attention to stop eating when I am "no longer hungry" instead of full. That's the hardest thing for me when the food tastes good. After 2 years I should be passed that, but I am still struggling. If I do the pouch test and feel like I truly need a fill, I will get one. For now, I think it's behavioral!

There is a common problem I have been seeing on this site! I am guilty of the same offense! We stop going to our appointments for many different reasons! The people that seem to be successful are very diligent in following EVERY rule, which includes regular doctor visits! I think if we all start by making appointments and keeping them we will be just as successful as those we admire for their accomplishments! I have started by making an appointment in March! Good Luck to everyone, and let's get this back on track!

I am right there with ya! I've been reading through posts to try to find some motivation somewhere. I see so many successful people and I want to get there. I don't even have a huge amount left to lose, but I have just not done what I am supposed to for at least 6 months. My last fill was in November 2012. I have 7 cc and I still do not think I have ever reached my "green" "sweet" spot. I have always had problems with the chewing and small bites. I still eat too fast and do not chew enough. I will feel the food almost instantly stop at my band, but if a sit up straight and just move around, I feel it pass through. Does that mean I need a fill? I do have problems getting much down in the mornings. pills can get stuck. I do not throw up. It just hurts until I can wiggle enought to get it to pass. I instantly feel when it goes through the band. Do others have that feeling? I just don't want to get too tight.
Anyway, I know that summer is right around the corner. For some reason, out of all of the posts that I read, YOURS gave me some motivation. Maybe I want to encourage you because I know all of the right things to tell you to do, and I know if you follow the "rules" it works. So, maybe in thinking about giving you advice, it made me think more about taking my own advice. I won't lie. I am somewhat of a lazy person (in my mind). I do have a full time job and two young kids and I do what I need to, but I have never been that energetic or active and I seem to enjoy sitting on my fat ass doing nothing. I am the queen of procrastination and then beating myself up about it. I have been really struggling in the last few weeks. saying to myself "tomorrow I am going to start fresh and get back on track". But before lunch time I'm already eating JUNK and then eating out for lunch. Eating dinner then snacking at night. Then beating myself up again. What's the deal? It makes no sense. It's a vicious cycle. Bottom line is that we have to have support. We both took the first step of making an appointment to see our doc for a fill. We both have now posted something here to get some support. Now I am setting the goal of getting my Water all in today (I have only been getting like 16 oz). Tonight, I will go back to the gym, as much as I hate working out. .There are so many people on here that are successful. Lets go for it and start to feel proud of ourselves, instead of embarrassed and like failures.

Wow, thank you all for the support and encouragement. I am glad to hear that I'm not the only one. It can be very hard to get back on track and I think the longer you are off track the harder it is to get back on. This is day two for me "back on" and I feel better mentally because I don't have to feel guilty or beat myself up. So, even eight years with the band, it is still a struggle. It is the reality of it I guess, that no matter what, you have to follow the "rules" and basics and it isn't something that we can just ignore or "hope" will get better. We have to MAKE it work and we owe it to ourselves to put in the effort, because we deserve happiness. I tried "wishing" and "hoping" for many years, and, well news flash.....that doesn't make you lose one pound! We were told before we got banded that this is a
TOOL, not a miracle cure that makes everything go away. So we must use the tool and work hard, which for me, I have been a lazy/fat person who doesn't like to "work hard" on myself but has realized that I have to. And we can see on here that IT DOES pay off in the long run. The success stories are inspiring and real. "It works if you work it" is a quote used in substance abuse programs and it really applies to us with the band as well. When I follow the rules about portion, snacking, Water, and carbs...it works, the weight drops off. When I stop following the rules, the weight does not drop and comes back on. So lets start today. Don't wait until next Monday lol. I always had to wait until a Monday to start back on things, but that is just wasting time and procrastinating. We can do it!! If we slip (and we will), we get back track at THE NEXT MEAL, not the next week, the next month, or the next year.... Let's go!!!

Well, I have been gone for a while from here, but it's time to come back. I was banded a year ago in November and did not meet my one year goal. I am happy with the success I had, 50 lbs. lost in one year, but I could have done better. I was trying for 80, but the last several months were difficult and I "fell off" the wagon. I became very stressed at work and depressed at home. Two of my reasons for overeating. I have been doing all of the wrong things....not measuring, not getting in my Water, not exercising, snacking at night, and drinking wine!!! So, yes I know exactly why I didn't reach my goal, I just stopped caring for a while I think. I have gotten fills, periodically, but more recently I wasn't physically hungry, it was "head hunger". So, my last fill was a few weeks ago. I have 7.9 ccs in my 10 cc band. It's very tight and I have good restriction. Now it's time to get back on track. I had gotten down to 181, but have gained 9-10 lbs. in the last 2 months. So I am now determined to get back to the basics and meet my goal of 150 by summer! I tend to beat myself up, like many of you do. But, I wonder if there are others out there who have had a similar experience. Have any of you bandsters done well for a while and then just stopped acting like you even had a band at all, gained some weight back, then gotten back on track? It's always helpful to hear that you're not the only one out there that has done this. Thank in advance for any support. :-)

Well, I think I may be headed for my first "unfill" tomorrow. I had a fill about 3 weeks ago. I'm up to 7.9cc in a 10cc band. I have been getting things stuck almost everyday. At first I thought it was because I hadn't followed the "chewing" rule well enough and that I just needed to slow down and chew better. But once I got stuck on a tropical smoothie, I thought "okay, maybe I'm too tight". I've put it off because I want to have the restriction but I hate the stuck feeling and pbing. It hurts! I swear my band actually feels like it got tighter about two weeks AFTER my fill. Now, I can't get down any meats without it getting stuck. I've gone back to Protein Shakes, Soups, and soft mushy foods....not healthy ones to be honest. So, then I beat myself thinking I just have "head hunger" and should be happily losing weight right now while I can't tolerate foods, but then I feel weak and eat the slidders to have something in my stomach. So I'm not even getting the benefit of losing weight even though my band is very tight?! I guess I will find out what my doctor says tomorrow.
Keep posting personal experiences. It's so helpful!

Congratulations to all of you! I have not done well in the last few months, but I just posted a topic and I'm reading several topics to help with motivation and support. You all look fabulous and have definately motivated me! I want to get down to a size 12 and now I feel like I CAN do it again.

Wow, thank you all for the support and encouragement. I am glad to hear that I'm not the only one. It can be very hard to get back on track and I think the longer you are off track the harder it is to get back on. This is day two for me "back on" and I feel better mentally because I don't have to feel guilty or beat myself up. So, even eight years with the band, it is still a struggle. It is the reality of it I guess, that no matter what, you have to follow the "rules" and basics and it isn't something that we can just ignore or "hope" will get better. We have to MAKE it work and we owe it to ourselves to put in the effort, because we deserve happiness. I tried "wishing" and "hoping" for many years, and, well news flash.....that doesn't make you lose one pound! We were told before we got banded that this is a
TOOL, not a miracle cure that makes everything go away. So we must use the tool and work hard, which for me, I have been a lazy/fat person who doesn't like to "work hard" on myself but has realized that I have to. And we can see on here that IT DOES pay off in the long run. The success stories are inspiring and real. "It works if you work it" is a quote used in substance abuse programs and it really applies to us with the band as well. When I follow the rules about portion, snacking, Water, and carbs...it works, the weight drops off. When I stop following the rules, the weight does not drop and comes back on. So lets start today. Don't wait until next Monday lol. I always had to wait until a Monday to start back on things, but that is just wasting time and procrastinating. We can do it!! If we slip (and we will), we get back track at THE NEXT MEAL, not the next week, the next month, or the next year.... Let's go!!!