okiekatt

Skdeleon, I can feel your frustration and I can completely relate, I was spending months on months getting fills every three weeks, and never feeling any restrictions, I was getting a lot of the same responses you are, it made me feel that I was not working with the band or trying hard enough and That is what made me feel like a failure, then I found out I had a leak, after my second surgery and second fill I still was not feeling restricted when I went in for a 3rd fill my doctor also said I was where I needed to be and instead tested my metabolism and said it was low, after another 3 months and Reading Alex’s post “Finding the Lap Band Green zone” I knew I was not there. Basically went into my doctors and begged for a fill they gave me .25 cc ….And IT DID IT! I GET IT! So if you are struggling with hunger I would very much suggest a fill, The green zone dose exist and I know you are not a failure.

Before I was banded one of our reps was banded and I would see him about every 3 months and every time I saw him he would get smaller and smaller I never really said anything because I figured that is all he heard all day long and he was probably sick of hearing it, and maybe a bit of jealousy played a big part too , now that I have been banded I really REALLY wished I would have told him how great he looked and how one day I wished that I could be banded too. I started this journey at 239 and got my first compliment at 209 I went on atkins before getting band fixed and dropped to 192 and was getting daily compliments from my patients, family, coworkers and friends but as soon as I stopped atkins I gained back fast to 210 I am now in the green zone and at 198 and loosing aprox 1.5 a week but nobody has noticed or dont want to jenks me again LOL

JennyPenny I can so completly relate but Please don’t give up, I went in faithfully every 3 weeks for fills for 7 months after I was banded in April of 2011, it wasn’t working for me I would get a fill and be starved by the time I got home, next morning fighting all the urges that come with hunger, after 7 months my doc told me I had a leak.....I was very depressed but in a sense, happy that I could get it fixed and the band might work, after my second surgery and my second fill they had a horrid time giving me a fill and then halfway home I realized I was overfilled, with that experience it took me 6 months to get the nerve to go in again, some things where getting stuck but most of the time my appetite was very high, he also decided I did not need a fill, again feeling like a failure and that this is and was just not going to work for me, 6 months later I went in and basically begged for a fill, I had been here to this forum enough to know what I should be feeling and at no time in the last year have I truly 100% experienced this "green zone" they gave me 1/4 of a cc and I am now in the green zone I GET IT! no breads, eat slow, no soda, 3 small (less the 1/2cup) meals a day and full for 4 hours, and all the other little things you hear about, good and bad, I am here the GREEN ZONE I have averaged a 1.5 lb. weight loss per week, and I am so glad I didn’t give up, so please don’t give up it might take longer then you had expected and it might just take a drop or two but just know you will get there eventually.

Never was a coffee drinker, until now, my band is very tight in the AM and coffee with a scoop of unjury makes the perfect band warmer/relaxer, I get my protein, a little pick me up and it seems to help things move through the system a little faster. no problems and my doctor has never said not to.

My last fill was 1/4 cc and that has took me from feeling unrestricted to the green almost red zone 1/4 THATS CRAZY! the last fill I got was 1cc and I got half way down the street and had to run back to his office for an unfill. tricky little things they are

WOW! you have been very dedicated and strong through everything, you have been through A LOT! And you still have not given up and that says a lot! I was going in for fills every 3 weeks for 7 long months before they told me I had a leak, had second surgery Sept of last year and 3 weeks ago almost a year later I finally for the first time reached my green zone maybe closer to the red but too afraid to have a unfill right now, I give you kudos for hanging in there I know it can be hard. the only and only thing I Could suggest is to trade your Starbucks Frappuccino Lights for a regular coffee with a scoop of Unjury vanilla or if you prefer a mocha try the chocolate splendor, I finally had to let go of my morning sweet tea and now I am finally seeing the scale move. But I still get my caffeine, the warming effect on my band, less calories and it just seems to help things move through the system a little faster, Good Luck hang in there!

I completely understand, I think you are probley doing the right thing, please keep us updated, I might be right behind you lol

Hello KImj384, How long has it been since your last fill and how long after it did you start feeling this way? I am sitting here in the exact same place as you, after my last fill 2 weeks ago I was so happy that I was finally in the green zone for the 1st time since my surgery over a year ago,but in the last few days it seems that it has tightened a bit, at least in the mornings, I have ordered some Unjury to add to coffee in the mornings (even tho I am not a coffee drinker) it has really great reviews and with the warming effect I think it will make lunch time a little more pleasant, from what I have read is that the band loosens as you lose weight, for me going for an unfill seems redundant especially since they only added ¼ of a CC . I’m going to try and tough this one out, but I will be keeping a close eye on this topic, hope things get easier for you. Thank you for posting!

Hello Fellow Bandsters, I have finally reached the "Green Zone" and so excited with this renewed faith, I was wondering how long it will last, I have heard as you loose weight you band will loosen, it has taken me sooooooo long to get here I am hoping that it will last for awile, Can you tell me when you have been in the "Green Zone" how long it lasted for you? TYVM

I was getting fills every 3 weeks after surgery for 7 months 2 were under fluoro before they told me I had a leak, each time I had hoped that this time would be it, after my second surgery on my 2nd fill, I was on my way home and my chest started getting this pain and I couldn’t even swallow, ran back into the office for an unfill, , 4 months later I saved up the money and got up the nerves to get 3rd fill, and my doctor did a test that showed my metabolism was low and gave me some pills sent me home with no fill, the pills did help but.......I never had that full feeling you hear about, eating a cup or less and being full for 3-4 hours sounded like exaggeration to me ...so 4 months later after my last attempt to get a fill 11 months after my second surgery and 1 year and 3 months after my first surgery, I walked in his office and pretty much begged for a fill, and they gave me...ready for this?? 1/4 of a cc .......And it WORKED! for the first time EVER I get it! I really never think about food, mornings I am too tight to eat even my protein drink goes down slow, at noon 2 scoops of tuna from subway and dinner half a can of enchilada soup I don’t eat the same thing every day, that is just an example, it is crazy kewl when it works and I wake up each day hoping that it hasn’t stopped it’s been over a week and I find this overwhelming excitement thinking this is it!!! I really felt that last week was going to be my last attempt, it wasn’t working, wasn’t going to work, and would never work, I was just going to be one of those people that the band just didn’t work for. Very sad and very depressing BUT NOT ANYMORE! So, if you are like I was please never give up its hard and so so depressing if it’s not working for you find out why,,you might have a leak or you might just need a teenie tiny adjustment, just don’t give up

When you are in the "green zone" you know it.....I got a fill every 3 weeks after surgery for 7 months before they told me I had a leak, each time I had hoped that this time would be it, after my second surgery on my 2nd fill, I was on my way home and my chest started getting this pain and I couldn’t even swallow, ran back into the office for an unfill, , 4 months later I saved up the money and got up the nerves to get 3rd fill, and my doctor did a test that showed my metabolism was low and gave me some pills sent me home with no fill, the pills did help but.......I never had that full feeling you hear about, eating a cup or less and being full for 3-4 hours sounded like exaggeration to me ...so 4 months later after my last attempt to get a fill 11 months after my second surgery and 1 year and 3 months after my first surgery, I walked in his office and pretty much begged for a fill, and they gave me...ready for this?? 1/4 of a cc .......And it WORKED for the first time EVER I get it! I really never think about food, mornings I am too tight to eat even my protein drink goes down slow, at noon 2 scoops of tuna from subway and dinner half a can of enchilada soup I don’t eat the same thing every day, that is just an example, it is crazy kewl when it works and I wake up each day hoping that it hasn’t stopped it’s been 1 week today and I find this overwhelming excitement thinking this is it!!! I really felt that last week was going to be my last attempt, it wasn’t working, wasn’t going to work, and would never work, I was just going to be one of those people that the band just didn’t work for. Very sad and very depressing BUT NOT ANYMORE! So, if you are like I was please never give up its hard and so so depressing if it’s not working for you find out why,,you might have a leak or you might just need a teenie tiny adjustment just don’t give up

wtg!! welcome summer with the new you!!

WTG! Welcome to WONderland!!! I love it here but I get so worried that they next time I step on the scale it will change. holding tight!

WTG! congrats! I love hearing NSV ....last weekend I put on last years bathing suit and it didnt fit ....not just loose or baggy didnt fit, but look down the front and see my toes didnt fit (tankini).....I serously had to sit down to take it all in.

Sometimes we all need something to kick us in the a** once I got below 200 last month everything stopped, my mom had a heart attack and was in the hosp for 2 weeks, didn’t know if she was going to leave, spent my evenings there, then brought her to my home to take over her care....my exercising went out the window my perfect planned meals where history, I have been sleeping and eating when I can (btw those of you with young kids I don’t know how you do it) ...but she is now pretty well set up, actually doing really good Thank God!...then POOF! this city wide weight loss challenge pops up on the news so I go tomorrow to do my beginning weight in to get this journey kicked back into go! Good luck to you sweety on you new beginning you have done GREAT already!