luzin susan

Karen, I know what you mean about feeling like you are going backwards but I am trying and I don't say that word lightly,,,:thumbup: to remind myself that this is for the long haul and I can always put more back in if I can't lose but if it is too full, then I could get into trouble and lose it! It helps a little to remind myself of that! I know I can eat too much but I need the rest! So I am going to keep my chin up and allow it for another 3 weeks and then decide where to go from there. I think that when a person adds back in a few more calories ,,,at first,,the body gains a little but then it will burn to that level as long as it isn't excessive and once it adjusts to a higher intake! If it adjusts to the lower amount of calories (or gets use to it and plateaus) then it must adjust to a little higher one after a while and start losing again,,,I mean if it isn't over a low calorie intake! Does that make sense? Ha Anyway,,,I hope I know what I am doing! I do know that my quality of life is better with this little unfill but if I gained a bunch of weight it wouldn't be! I am a little worried but I keep getting reassured here that I did the right thing,,,so I will trust that and say I think we both did! Susan

Hi all, thanks so much for all the information on "sweet spots" I will read Wendall's sticky! I am doing good although I know that I can eat too much too fast! I am trying not to overdo but I am eating about 1400 calories a day now,,,sometimes 1500 but I walk 4 miles 4 days a week so I don't know if that is still too much! I am certain if it is the scale will let me know :thumbup: I have only slimed 2 times since the unfill and that is good! I did it for so long one was a PB but I had to guzzle coke and let it come up hard and fast to get it out! I mean it was REALLY stuck in there and after about 2 hours it had to come out! However most days I can eat anything I want but bread! I can eat too much at one time probably about 2 cups especially if I eat salads,,,I can eat pretty much endless amounts of lettuce! I haven't been really careful like I should but I think I just need to refocus. I am going to add back 1/2 of what they removed to see if that helps b/c I find that I want to snack all the time which is not a usual thing for me. I am good though! I think maybe up a lb or two but that I believe is my body readjusting. We will see. I am glad others are doing so much better. It is such a relief to not be in pain any longer! I am looking forward to that "sweet spot" where I cannot eat 2 cups at a time but I can eat without pbing and sliming! I hope it is the next fill in 3 weeks that does that for me~ Again, thanks for all who share and I am so glad to know I am not alone! Hugs to all Susan

Denise or someone, I wonder if you would be willing to write about how it IS supposed to work. I think there is so much confusion about this subject. So many different ideas but in general there has to be a certain criteria for the way the band is supposed to work! Or maybe you could direct me to something that explains it better. It seems like it is supposed to make you not hungry but when I am at that point, I am gagging all the time. I don't know what a "sweet spot" is really supposed to feel like! Can you shed a little light! I have a feeling that others are confused also. thanks Susan

Wow 4 hours of gagging is a lot! I usually gagged for an hour and no more. I agree so much with the dr. I know that it is a fine line and right now I am able to eat more then before, faster and drink if I choose. However I am doing my best to control it! I also understand now that my habits didn't change as much as they should have so I am working on that too. Now that I am more open it is easier to go back to old behaviors,,,I am getting a little more put in in another 3 weeks and this time it will be a little bit at a time,,,I never want to irritate my stomach like I did the last 3 months,,,yes I have also felt the food in my stomach. I actually get a shart pain in my neck when I eat too much,,weird huh? It is scary to see that many of my habits were forced to change when I was so overfilled but that I now have to rely on myself for control a little more although my intake isn't nearly as much as it was pre band. I think this is a good lesson for us all! I am happy to hear that you unfilled as the long2bfree is right,,,dehydration is not a means to lose weight and that Water just comes back and then we feel dread again at "weight gain" I need to drink more fluids anyway;,,,also dehydration is self injurous to say the least. I have done that too! Good luck and thank for that helpful info from the dr. Susan

I really could not lose any longer on the low calories the way I did in the beginning. Then once I upped the calories a little,,,wham,,losing ,,,,I think my nurse is right...I needed to feed my body a little more healthy! I don't know tho alot of people lose on low amounts,,but I figure if I am on a plateau for a long time something has to change and I know that eating less then 1000 a day isn't normal healthy eating for me so I thought I would do what she suggested and try a little more. It seems to be working but I will keep you posted! I feel so happy to be able to eat but I know that I have to put a little back in after 4 weeks like she said so that I don't start struggling with hunger issues! The rest is wonderful though! Good luck to you and let me know what works for you!

That is wonderful news!!!!!!!!!!! I figure the scale hasn't gone down for so long that if I didn't lose it was ok with me at least I wasn't suffering while not losing. I am losing slowly though! :wink: I ate a bunch of salt yesterday and was up a lb but it will go down as soon as the salt gets out of my system. :*( I am so happy for you! Isn't it wonderful to NOT GAG! I can eat more but I know how to control that b/c it is only a little more and then I get full! I know the feeling of full now! Good luck on the scale,,,,yesterday I ate 1500 calories which is 300 above my norm but I have been eating about 1100 a day and not losing and I think it is b/c I exercise daily (burn about 300 calories) and gagging so much my body wasn't going to let it go! I know 1500 is not good but that is just a holiday thing,,,back to 1200 now! I am so happy for you really,,my hubby was so tired of it too he would say why in the heck do you put yourself through this,,,I would get rid of that thing,,,,now he is saying ok now I see how it is SUPPOSED to work! haha My and his last straw was on vaca a few weeks ago and we were in a restaurant and I took a bite (a bite) of vegetable in the early afternoon and it got stuck and I waited for it to go down and then all of a sudden it was like I projected all over my lap tons of slime and it was horrible,,,,I was mortified to say the least..I went out to the car, changed my clothes gagged and slimed for another 30 minutes and cried the whole way home from embarrassment and horror. That was the end for me,,,,now, I go to lunch or eat a holiday meal and I eat slowly, I don't gag and I get full and feel satisfied,,,I am so HAPPY for us both,,,keep me updated! take care Susan

The difference is that with the band you get full and it stops you from going overboard if it is filled properly. The difference is that it is NOT all about self control. The difference is when I am full and there is no room left, there is no room left,,,The difference is that I feel full longer. It is like this: hour glass,,a regular glass tipped over would just pour the salt straight through which means that you have to keep adding salt until it is all the way up to the top for it to stop pouring right through it or keep flipping it over and over to make it fill,,,,the hour glass,,,gives you time,,,the salt goes slowly through it and times lengthens before you have to flip it over,,lots of time and there is no room at the top to add salt to the hourglass for quite aq while until it is time to flip (if that makes sense)it takes a long time to go down so there is no room to add anything to it ,,,well when we are talking about food,,,the same applies,,,you can only add so much at once with the band which makes for a quick full feeling,,,it goes down really slow which gives your mind and body the sensation and time it needs to 1. realize that it is full on less and 2. Stay full for a longer period of time. It is night and dayto to the WW (alone)self control game. I think the two together are great for some,,however, I always felt hungry and I always ate just a little more on WW if I were honest (except in the beginning when I was using will power in full force). NOW I CANNOT unless I just push myself to no end and feel sick and hurting doing it! Your mind is powerful so you have to deal with that part of the eating but hey, any healthy eating patterns have to start somewhere. I never thought that I could eat right,,,and choose right,,,never and now with the band it is sooooooo much easier and it works! Proper fill is the most important part and it helps you realize just how much you DON'T need to feel full and satisfied. It is amazing! Most everyone here on this board had the same fears,,,yes some (few) are having trouble with success but head hunger is powerful (we all know that or we wouldn't be here),,,you have to learn it, know it well, like keeping an enemy close but most people that are not having success are not restricted enough to feel what I explained above,,,they will get there,,if they don't give up! Anything you do is a tool not a fix,,,any surgery or weight loss program,,,it is just the band makes it doable! Good luck Susan

Denise, Thanks once again,,,you are always there for so many of us! :wub: Yes it is a fine line but now that I am eating and losing I feel so good! I actually can eat in the mornings,,,not a lot and I have to be careful but it was impossible before,,,didn't matter if it was milk or solid. I am still going down on the scale. Last night I ate 1/2 cup wild (kind of crunchy) wild rice Slowly,,,and 3 ozs of filet and a cup of vegetables. All of a sudden I was FULL I was burping and really full so now I know to slow down. IT WORKED!!! I was happy to feel the fullness in the right way! NO gagging is so wonderful! I will keep updates as now I once again feel a part of something,,,I have been really feeling alone to be honest,,,but no more! Take care Susan

Thank you Shortgal. I am doing really good! I eat about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of food a meal depending on what i am eating. I am not drinking at meals and I do get FULL. It takes a little more (or lot more since I was starving) then before but I DO get full and my band stops me,,soft stop and hard! I feel great and I have now dropped 2 lbs this week which is a first since 3 months prior. I guess that not eating thing can really stall me! :thumbdown: I am so happy and I am not afraid to eat anymore and I removed the baggies and cups from my car. NOT ONE GAG since unfill and yet I know when to stop! Thank you! I wonder how the others are feeling that have my problem? Write back and let us know how you are doing,,,unfills or ? Susan

I hope that helps you!!! I know I can eat but I am not going overboard! It will be hard for the next month but it is worth it! I can eat toasted bread and drink while I eat so I have to use all my will power to not do this! I am just resting my band for a month and then half goes back in. In the meantime,,,I will watch and count all my calories! :embaressed_smile: I will be relieved when I can put back a little but I never want to go back to where I was again. How will I know is the scary part! I think it is such a fine line it is so hard to know ,,,,The nurse says she took out .8cc and that she will put back in .4cc in a month! I hope that in between is the answer b/c I am pretty open! However, I do fill up and That is a good sign! Good luck to all who are unfilling a little! I feel human again! ;{ Susan

Thank you Shortgal you are amazing! I see all the people that you respond to and help and I for one am very grateful that you are out there! I just cannot believe that so many have been going through this and I am not so scared anymore b/c I am not unique in this! :thumbup: Susan

If I am understanding your question right ,,,when I get my fills and unfills, they put the needle in and take out all the fill to be sure that I am at the same level that was there last time. Hence they know if there is a leak or ? Then they put back in the fill amount they decided on with extra or less depending upon what the need is! Is that what you are asking? So it is a unfill and fill in one day so to speak! Hope that helps Susan

Thank you Denise, you have been such a great support also! Thank you ,,,you know who you are,,,the ones that have been responding and following this thread and my journey with this. You are my blessings! Mark, I am so amazed at how many people have emailed me and also wrote on this thread that they too are going through this problem. I really think that the slight unfill is the answer. I cannot tell you how many times I have stare into a public toilet while everyone was out in the restaurant enjoying their meals. It has been humilating and frustrating. I know that this isn't what the band is suppose to do. It is there to appreciate and use as a tool to control our intake not make us suffer. Life is not for that. If I would have kept the pbing etc up much longer I would have hated this band and I was beginning to regret having it. I can tell you as of yesterday, it is my friend again. Please get a small unfil asap. I took out just .8cc's and it has made a HUGE difference. Don't suffer one more minute if you can get in do it right away! I explained above that the body knows it is having rapid elimination of food so it stores. It is very common to not lose when you are vomiting, pbing, and all the other crap overfilling causes. The brain catches on that it isn't going to be fed properly and even when it is,,,it isn't sure how long it will be kept in(the food) your body! So glad you came back and got to read these posts and all the wonderful insight and help that was offered. Good luck and keep us posted! I will do the same! Susan

I cannot believe how many people are having this problem with the band getting finicky. I feel so much better having a slight unfill but I do find myself being more hungry then usual today! I was told by the nurse that I needed to take out a little more then she would like, to give my stomach a month of rest and then she would put back 1/2 of what she took if I was still hungry by then. That works for me. After callling her today, she stated that it isn't unusual for me to want to eat more just simply because I have been deprived for over 3 months! I still know the band is there,,,can't drink more then a few sips after eating something. I am not too worried,,I have good self control and count my calories every day! I do however hope that I don't need more put in b/c I am a little scared of a repeat! I have a feeling that I will need a little bit put back in after the rest ! I am still in heaven and so grateful to be able to eat without fear! I drank a Protein drink this morning and no gagging at all and I could take my pills with it! YEA I am sorry to hear that others are going through this,,,I think a very small unfill could be the answer if your stomach isn't as irritated as mine was. Otherwise, better off taking out a little more like me to let it rest! It makes a huge difference. Good luck Thanks for all your positive posts and good wishes all of you! Susan

hi, update,,,,got an .8cc unfill today and I feel GREAT! I ate a small lunch of creamed Soup but she also wanted me to add something more difficult to eat as I would have to drive over 3 hours to see her again as she goes home tonight. Anyway I ate a little salad and I was FULL BUT DIDN'T PB OR SLIME AT ALL! She also told me that she believes that I will start losing again when I can eat decent and healthy meals like I use to. I ate one and 1/2 small tacos tonight after talking to her as she wanted to be sure before she got in the car. It all went down well and I ate very slow and I knew I was full as soon as i was. before i was so hungry i wouldn't stop but i was able to stop no problem. Head hunger is my battle now and i can do that!! :shades_smile: I am so happy and I feel so much better. Thank you, all of you for your help and input,,,I am so glad my hard head didn't stop me from listening. I feel like I felt before,,,,now I will go on mushies for a few days like she said and rest,,,she also gave me an anti inflammatory shot to help with the swelling. This was the answer. She said that our bodies know when to hold onto food calories etc when it is eliminating them too fast and that it will stay on a plateau b/c of that. Also she said that she runs into a lot of people close to goal or at goal that have a problem with the band getting MUCH MORE FULL AND FINICKY and although for most they need more fill those people like the above need to have some out,,,she said she has seen it on occassion. SO,,,I am ready to finish my journey and I am feeling great! She said it is not ok to slime or pb often and in fact if you are choosing the right food and eating carefully it should happen very rarely/ hmmmm where did I hear that hahaha So if that IS happening it is a overfill issue most of the time. OH MY GOODNESS I FEEL GOOD! I feel like I am starting over from the beginning ,,,,,relief!! PS: lost two lbs in 3 months so that is better then gaining... THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU MY BANDSTER FAMILY FOR BEING THERE FOR ME NO MATTER HOW CRAZY I SOUNDED. Susan