justwant2lose

I had my surgery in September 2007. I lost 60 pounds, down from 252 to 192, felt and looked great even though my weight was still over what was recommended for my height. I'm 5'6". In the last two years, I have had a few setbacks that contributed to me gaining almost all of my weight back. My mother died and I found out that I have hypothyroidism and am going through menopause also. I take full responsibility for what I eat...I know that I am an emotional eater. I have been having another issue though. I now have reflux at night while I am trying to sleep. Also, I cannot eat! I PB almost everything I put in my mouth! So, I am not sleeping and not eating. I know...go back to the doctor. I am going to. I just wanted to vent and to see if anyone else out there has had any issues similar to mine.

I was banded in September 2007 and have since gained back all but 20 lbs. Why? Not because the band wasn't doing its job. But because of me. I made poor choices. I let it happen. I put on my big girl panties and made an appointment for a fill. My nurse practitioner was very forgiving, and we decided on a fresh start. She gave me a good fill, reinterated the rules, and I left with a renewed sense of purpose and inner peace knowing that I am going to do this. My band is just fine, and has treated me well. I just didn't reciprocate. Now, I appreciate it again and am doing everything in my power to treat it right. I would recommend an appointment and possibly taking part in a support group to get back on track. Good luck!

Thank you, and good luck to you. It does help to have a focus for motivation.

Cherylita, that makes total sense. We are the ones who put the fork to our mouths. We have to accept responsibility for our actions. For me, food is a drug, my best friend, my worst enemy. Yesterday, I took control. Today, I am still in control. To me, feeling good about myself is more important than food. My mother passed away on January 1 of this year from a heart attack. She was 59 years old. She had no idea that she had heart disease. My father has had 3 heart attacks. If I do not get this under control, my fate is sealed.

I could have started this thread. I was banded in September 2007, and lost 60 lbs. Since then, I have gained 20 lbs. No excuses, I simply did not follow the rules to the tee. I go through periods of time when I am so tight that I cannot even swallow my own saliva. The last episode had me up all night because when I fell asleep I would choke. I had to go for a 1cc unfill. Anyway, I have also had a very bad problem with fluid retention from what Google suggests is my vericose veins and poor circulation in my legs. Aside from all of that, I feel out of control with my eating. I am going to take the advice here, and try to adhere to a mostly protein/veggie diet. My goal is to get back under the 200 lbs, and then I will focus on smaller goals, say 10 pounds at a time. I am aiming to lose 2lbs per week...I woke up this morning and exercised and I felt great all day. Now all I can do is take it one day at a time. Good luck.

I am on my second day of eating low carb, and I must say, I am pleasantly surprised. Now, I have done the Atkins diet in the past and did okay with it. Of course I only made it through the first phase and then I gobbled the first piece of bread I could find...but I have been reading the "Metabolism Miracle" and I must say it makes perfect sense. I am surprised because I feel very satisfied, and it's not nearly as difficult as I thought it might be. I feel better already just on my second day. Is anyone else reading this book? It's just amazing.

I wonder if stress has anything to do with the function of the band. My mom passed away on January 1 of this year, and ever since, I have been too tight. I had my surgery in September of 2007 and have gone through a few phases when my band would just tighten up on its own, and I would PB every time I put a bite of food in my mouth and when it go to the point of not being able to drink liquids I would go for a slight unfill, which worked. Now, I am wondering if at those times I was stressed out, and that was what was causing my band to tighten by itself. It is so frustrating. I am going to try a liquid diet for a few days to see if it helps.

I was banded on September 19, 2007 and I could have started this thread. I started out at 252, got down to 192 and am now hovering around 205. I cannot let this get out of control. For the past three days, I have been eating a low carb diet - no added sugar and it has really been working well for me. We are doing a biggest loser contest at work so I am curious to see what the scale says on Friday when we weigh. Unfortunately, the truth is it will be a neverending battle. I am just glad the band helped me lose the weight I have lost.

I was banded in September 2007. I haven't had a fill in quite awhile...even gained about 10 pounds over the last 9 months. Over the past week, I have not been able to eat ANYTHING during the day, and sometimes it's questionable at night. Even liquids sometime turn into slime and I have to throw up. I am getting worried. I know I am supposed to have restriction but this is ridiculous. Has anyone else had this problem and what did you do about it? I am going to call my doctor and see about getting a slight unfill.

THANK YOU for your replies!!! I went to the doctor this morning and had a slight unfill (.3 cc's). What a difference! I was able to eat lunch today, and drink my coffee! The NP said that this happens sometimes, and they do not have an explanation. She did say that it was a good thing that I came in because the band could have slipped eventually from all the PBing or vomiting I've been doing. She even said that sometimes getting your period could tighten it, but I don't have that problem anymore!

Hello Little Miss Diva! I am SO glad I found you! We do need a place where we can get support and not negative feedback...I agree that is the last thing we need. We are hard on ourselves enough already! I think we should just realize that we need to take this journey one day at a time. I tend to get overwhelmed thinking about the "big picture". And, like you, I know what I am capable of and I do not want to return to that dark place. Reading your posts has made me put things into perspective and realize that even though I have gained some, I did not gain back all of the weight I lost. My biggest problem is emotional eating...I am sure most of us have that problem. I am going to exercise more, eat better, and not be so hard on myself. I was at a place not too long ago where food was the last thing on my mind. I want to go back to that place. I want to be held accountable to someone other than myself..it used to be my doctor. I just feel totally alone as I do not know anyone who has had the lap band. I need a buddy! It sounds like you have been doing really well the past couple of days. Life seems so much easier when you can control your eating. I don't know why, but it does. All I have had today was two cups of coffee. I can't eat in the morning, usually til at least noon. For lunch I am planning to eat a lean cusine. I was looking online last night for a good Protein shake. I haven't really been following the rules for eating with the band, and I want to start so that I can get to losing again. I hope you have a great day and let us know how it goes!

FINALLY...someone I can relate to. I was banded September 2007, went from 252 down to 192. I was doing really well, then stopped losing. I have not lost any weight in months. I have gained, how much I do not know because I am afraid to get on the scale. I can tell I've gained because my pants are a little more snug then they were. I am filled as much as I can be. That's not the problem. The problem is that I can eat, more so in the late afternoon - evening & I take advantage of it. I am so disgusted. I guess my expectations of myself and this whole process were too high. I do PB sometimes, almost daily to be honest. It's just the evenings that get me. I know we are supposed to be eating tiny meals, chewing a thousand times before swallowing, not drinking with meals, etc. but for me it doesn't matter, no matter what I do I cannot lose anymore. I also love Slim fast, so I was thinking that I should drink one for lunch, and then eat a lean cuisine for dinner. At least I would have portion control again. WHY am I in this position again? I never thought I'd be dealing with this ever again!!! I am so glad I found this post. I want to be held accountable to someone and hopefully this is it. Once i reached my one year anniversary, it's almost as though I've dropped off the face of the earth as far as my doctor is concerned.

I was banded in September 2007. I have lost a total of 60 pounds and was doing wonderfully. I loved the feeling that I wasn't thinking about food every minute of the day and was enjoying the changes in my body. I have not lost weight in over two months, thanks in part to the holidays. I am not really ever hungry, so I don't think I need a fill. However, since I have been eating more, I have started thinking about food subconsciously, just as I did before the surgery. I have been snacking all the time. I just cannot get a hold of it. I also feel that since I have passed my one year anniversary, my doctor just doesn't care anymore as to how I do. I was expecting a little more from him I guess. I know I have to pull it together somehow. Is there anyone out there who is going through the same thing?

WOW. KellinTX -You have really lost alot!!!

Thank you. I am not sure about a fill right now. I am tight in the morning through lunch and it seems my window of eating is from 1pm until about 9pm. If I do eat earlier or later I will PB. I don't know what is wrong. I thought that the voice was gone but evidently was just biding its time.

Down 60 pounds!

Dr. Lavin performed my surgery. I just had my one year anniversary and have lost 60 pounds. My advice is to go for every appointment that they recommend, keep a journal ~ especially after your fills, and go to support group meetings if possible. You'll do great! They are a wonderful group of surgeons and I especially adore Chris, the nurse practitioner.

53.5 pounds gone! Yay! I feel like I have gotten through my slow phase and the weight loss is picking up now. Congratulations everyone!

Don't give up! You have come so far. My advice is, go pay a visit to your doctor. Tell him what is going on. There may be other patients with the same problem and he may have the solution for you. Cindy, you are worth it and you have come too far to give up on yourself.

Anyone in the New Orleans/Northshore area have a breast lift? Who was your surgeon, and how much did it cost?

I had surgery 10 months ago. I was a self pay, and really wanted the gastric bypass because my sister had it and lost over 100 pounds in one year, but I couldn't afford it so I chose the lap band. WELL!!! I was changing my shirt the other day and my sister looked at me amazed and asked me where was all my hanging skin? HA!!! I told her with the lap band it comes off more slowly and she was still amazed. She has a problem with her skin on her abdomen sagging after losing her weight so quickly. SCORE : Lap Band = 10 Gastric = 0:thumbup:

Here is what I have learned from personal experience. My sister and I were at the same beginning weight when we had our surgeries. She had hers seven years ago when you could only get the gastric bypass "open" surgery, not laparoscopic. I don't know if that has anything to do with the loose skin. Anyway, at one year she was exactly 100 lbs lighter and had skin hanging not only from her abdomen, but on her arms and thighs. I do not have this problem, granted that I do exercise some. BUT I have always heard that the slower you lose, the more taut your skin remains. By the way THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for all of your kind words and I hope you all get your unexpected cloud nine compliment soon. It felt GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :thumbup::biggrin2:

I tell yall after she said that I was on cloud nine! I am so glad I had the lap band!!!

I remember how miserable I was during my pre-op diet. I ordered (at my doctor's advice) boxes of powdered shakes (can't even remember the name- must be a repressed memory) and they were HORRIBLE. I kept myself busy, drank lots of Water and clear soup and cheated a little. Don't beat yourself up. My cheat was much worse than yours. But I was fine on surgery day and it has been a wonderful experience ever since. IT IS WORTH IT. Stay focused, stay busy. Good luck!