Mom2many

I read the whole post and all the responses here is what I can share and hope it helps:
I had thyroid cancer so I don't have a thyroid, my TSH levels must be kept at hypo (slow) rather than normal or hyper.
This has Always caused weight gain or extremely slow weight loss.
I went to many seminars listening to every dr and after awhile they all sounded like used car sales people! Then I met a dr who said the band is not the cure all its not magic and if you do this you have to think of it as a marriage, you must love me and I must love you but above all that we must work as a team.
2011 June I got my lap band from then till now I am down 110 however that is a number. Not every plan works for every person, I decided to stay on weight watchers and go to weekly meetings. This kept my focus and my sanity. It also kept me eating healthy. I eat my Protein first, then my veggies last my complex carb. I only eat on a appetizer plate. I weigh and measure all my food, I take Calcium supplements. I work out, Pilates has done wonders for me. I finally after 54 years put myself first.
If I'm hungry in between a meal I will eat an apple or some small fruit or yogurt.
If I was in your shoes the first thing I would do is get all your medical records and see another doctor, I would then see a nutritionist.
Finally I will say that I am married to a professional chef and the one thing he has taught me is every calorie is not the same. Just because your only eating 900 calories a day does not mean they are the right calories that are going to burn the fat not store the fat. Hope this helps you, please remember when you put something out there on a public forum your going to get many opinions the hope is that you can get some support where you need it.
Good Luck

I have tried everything for my reflux and gerd. I was so frustrated with this ongoing condition, the lack of sleep it causes and taking EVERY medication known to man that three nights ago at 2:00AM, I did some research.
I know this sound like snake oil but I swear on the Baby Jesus that this works for me and I hope it works for everyone with this condition.
Don't laugh. EAT A HALF OF A PEELED APPLE AN HALF HOUR BEFORE BED. I use a Golden Delicious apple and put it in the blender to make a raw applesauce with a touch of honey. I peel the apple but you dont need to peel it. I have a hard time with apple peels passing through my band.
I promise it works. I haven't used Pepicid, Tums, Zantac,Pepto, etc....for the past three days and I am sleeping throughout the night.
Check out the article
http://www.livestrong.com/article/30092-cure-acid-reflux-apples/
I hope this helps.
Leanne

I agree 100%. To say the band doesn't stop you from eating anything may be true for one person, but not another. I absolutely cannot eat breads or pastas or I will be stuck. Doesn't matter how well I chew or how long I eat. So you just have to see what works for you!

The answer is every "body" is different. I can not eat Pasta or rice ( a few noodles maybe) cause i feel uncomfortable. bread for the most part is out for me. Once in a while i can have a few bites. Not worth it for me.
Good Luck
Wendy

Gals, can't we all get along PLEASE ? Where is all this anger and hate coming from ? We're all in this together and we need to show a little respect to each other, regardless of our personal opinions.
Everyone has a right to respond to any thread on these forums. Although, it is common decency to stay out of a conversation if you're requested to do so by the OP.
Regardless of anything, I will not tolerate abusive or bullying behavior or language, in public or via PM.
You can easily block any member and never see their posts or PM's ever again.
We're pretty clear about what we stand for in our forum rules. Please re-read if you still need clarification.

I just got back. My surgeon took 1/4cc out and wants me to call him Monday. Ill be on liquids for next couple days. Thank you so much for the advice and words of wisdom. If I'm eating healthy again I should be able to get back on my exercise regimen which I had neglected for the past few weeks. My biggest fear of course is gaining. I will do my best to make healthy choices. Not a big fan of Christmas goodies...will stay cautious though. Just tonight, that pinched nerve feeling is subsiding in my back. Still sore but no belching while drinking liquids. I hope I made the right decision for the next month. I was definitely in the red zone... Just in denial. Those who are feeling that way, don't compromise your health or band by staying in red zone. He told me "this is why the band is made...to let you know when it needs adjusted". Love my surgeon, good listener, helps me solve my own conflicts by inquiry. Will see how the next few weeks go. Thx u

Banded in march and have lost my 6 year old son-60#!

I agree with hely88 if I were in your shoes, I'd be asking for a slight unfill. I wouldn't be happy that tight at all.
Being as you're not vomiting and are able to eat (though it's not easy), it comes down to personal preference. Some people are happy with super tight bands, others are not. I personally have my band so that I can still eat anything I want just in moderation. Plus, if eating is that much of a chore, the temptation to rely on slider foods is too great and that leads to weight gain.
If you're not happy, then get a slight unfill. Regardless of what anyone here or even a nutritionist says, you're the one the has to live with your band so it needs to fit your needs and lifestyle.

The extreme changes, both to your lifestyle and to your body, can be downright overwhelming. As many have correctly stated over and over, the band can help tame our appetite but it can't fix our brains. And really, isn't it our brain that led us to get fat to begin with? Those issues don't just disappear because the number on the scale get smaller. Sometimes, watching that number shrink can actually make those issues worse.
You know, I get a lot of compliments for losing almost 160 pounds in about 9 months time. But the thing is, there are some MAJOR downfalls to losing so much so fast. It is so incredibly hard to wrap my head around it at times. I see my own reflection in store windows and I'm honestly startled. I don't even recognize myself anymore because it's all happened so fast. I still battle head hunger something wicked almost every single night, and sometimes I think my brain is so shocked by my own reflection it's trying to change it back to something it recognizes. It's a forever battle and some days it's very hard to win it.
I DO understand what you mean, I just think we have to constantly remind ourselves our food demons aren't going to win this battle, we are.

Sasha, I am there with you. I have lost around 60 pounds. I had 1cc removed two weeks ago due to reflux issues and have since gained 5 pounds. Little to no restriction. My head is not where it needs to be. It's like I'm good with 60 pounds and that's it. I don't want it to be it though, I have 30 more to lose at least.
Thanks for posting. I'm going to have a better day tomorrow!!!!!

I could have written this post, absolutely. I've lost 80 lbs- but have 70 more to go. I posted about this on another site- a weight loss site with people I consider good friends. I've posted there for more than 7 years. One woman pointed out that most of us gain weight for various reasons- some emotional- and when you lose a lot of weight in a relatively short amount of time, sometimes the emotions kind of catch up to you- even if it's subliminally. Meaning we fall into old habits without understanding why, or- in my case- we eat something once a week (ice cream for me), then it becomes twice a week, then every night, and lo an behold, a weight loss stall.
She suggested I sit and relax for awhile, that it's a marathon, not a sprint. I decided that as long as I keep exercising and I don't gain more than 3 lbs, then I will stay here until I feel like being motivated or until 1/1/13- whichever comes first. I am not giving myself unlimited freedom, but I'm not going to beat myself up over it. I did a pretty drastic thing, getting the lapband, and I'm going to be successful.
It's true what they say- it bands your stomach, not your head! And eating around the band, as I've been doing, is easy to do and I need to get my wantpower back into play- it will happen!
Good luck to all of us!!
Nicki

Don't come around here much anymore....
But things could not be better....coming up on 2 years banded soon.....met my goal of 100 lbs in about 13 months.
I have stopped loosing...the body will do that, stop on it's own when it reaches what it considers normal. (provided you get your Protein in)
The band has been the easiest thing I have ever done for weight loss.....I now eat like a skinny person does.
Never count calories, or measure food....just let the band do it's thing.
I have become a gym rat...not because I have to, but because it is a now a thing of pleasure to be able to achieve things that normal, healthy people do.
Below is a pic of the treadmill at the gym...I am now running over 7 miles in about 70 minutes!!! And this is from a 60 year old guy who has had one heart attack, resulting in
cardiac catheterization.....not to mention my out of control diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol..all of which are now non existent.
The other pic is me at my Daughter's Wedding, a few weeks ago.
If I can give any words of encouragement, I would say that this thing REALLY DOES WORK....you just have to get out of the way and let it do what it was designed to do....it's tough
in the beginning.."Bandster Hell"...but once you get it properly adjusted, and learn how to eat all over again....it's all easy!!!
Loosing weight is all about "Calories In versus Calories Burned" Always has been! The band controls the calories in part, we just need to get up and burn more than consumed. Simple!

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DON"T GET DISCOURAGED!!!! AND DON"T LISTEN TO THE NEGATIVITIES!!!

Almost 3 years and still loving it!

I have had my band for 22 months. I have lost 210 lbs with no complications. I am 7 or 17 lbs from goal depending on which day you ask me.

SEVEN very successful years.

I'm just over 4 years. I started at 324 and have been hovering around 180 for about 2 years. I can eat just about anything I want just not a whole lot of it!

I have been banded just over 3 years now, been at goal since June 2006, am happy and complication free.

Try a tiny bite of fat free sour cream!

I'm sorry you had problems, but it's obvious something was wrong with your band from the day it was placed. Maybe it's in the wrong place, maybe your anatomy simply doesn't work well with the band, I don't know. But I do know the fact you've been living on slider foods since the first month being banded means something is wrong.
I might also add you have a 4cc band. There's a reason those are no longer used in the United States- because the company said there were way too many complications with them and now only approve the larger bands. Again, that is completely not your fault, however it stands to reason that band was too small for you from the beginning hence forever being too tight even when empty.
I hope you find what you're looking for after it's removed and I mostly hope you find good health. But please don't come on here acting like everyone who is banded is making a mistake.
We're not you and the statistics are in our favor, especially with the new bigger bands. I've lost almost 150 pounds in 9 months and I couldn't be happier. I never PB, I've never vomited, and it's extremely rare that I get stuck. In fact, I can and do still eat whatever I want without any problems. Some of us are extremely happy and successful with our bands.

My band recently became too tight out of nowhere! I had a fill in May and became tight in August. I had 0.5cc removed with immediate relief. Went a week and a half and became tigh again, but this time with horrible reflux and stomach acid coming out of my mouth and nose and night. Had an upper gi to check for a slip--no slip. Surgeon removed 1cc yesterday (at my request, he would have removed 0.5cc). Was as good as new yesterday and finally slept like a baby last night.
Don't be afraid to get some removed if you are too tight. I'm so glad I did!

My band recently became too tight out of nowhere! I had a fill in May and became tight in August. I had 0.5cc removed with immediate relief. Went a week and a half and became tigh again, but this time with horrible reflux and stomach acid coming out of my mouth and nose and night. Had an upper gi to check for a slip--no slip. Surgeon removed 1cc yesterday (at my request, he would have removed 0.5cc). Was as good as new yesterday and finally slept like a baby last night.
Don't be afraid to get some removed if you are too tight. I'm so glad I did!

Update again ... I ended up going back to the doc, had an upper GI series to see if the band had slilpped, but no, it was right in place ... went and had the last bit of Fluid removed, and since there was irritation tood a while to ease into eating solids again, but doing well now. Still sometimes get the acid reflux at night, but have prilosec OTC and Zantac to take as well as tums and if I pay attention to when and what I eat -- like not eating too late, I can manage it ok ... It definitely is a balancing act. But I'm happy I can eat again without things coming back up -- I'm still maintaining at 140 and pay attention to portions and healthy eating habits. Thanks for all the input -- I will try the Omprazole too -- Hang in there everyone!

I am a mid-afternoon, I need a sugar fix snacker. Ice cream in particular Ugh!

Crazy girl forgot to post that I hit 198 last week! Was an exciting moment!!!!!

Crazy girl forgot to post that I hit 198 last week! Was an exciting moment!!!!!