ABLOND

I am right there with you ...... I seem to have lost all willpower when it comes to not eating candy (Butterfingers to be specific).....

My story is a long one, but if you want to read it on my blog http://shutthebitchu...e.blogspot.com/ (bit has changed, I'm 28 now, divorced, and happily in a relationship that is healthy)

TL;DR version - Lost 85 lbs, (245lbs down to 160lbs) but now have gained 25lbs (186lbs)

Recently have reduced my weight down to 177.

I have not had very much liquid put into my band as of late. My doctor is super booked and its seems I can never get in and I am working constantly (paralegal). So without hardly any restriction, I packed on 25lbs. Now, through vigorous exercise and extreme dieting (minimal calories, veggies, chicken, eggs, repeat) I have lost 10 lbs of that.

I have not been feeling myself lately. I hate the way I look and am terrified of gaining weight back. I seem to have gained it all right in my abdominal region, which makes it so many things do not fit correctly at all. My confidence is low, and I am so sick of dieting I could harpoon something.

I know the end result will be worth it, and I need to go back in and get a fill, but I am struggling so hard right now. I would do anything to get down past 160 (my lowest) and hit 150 (my original pre-op goal) and I want to be 140 (over the moon, never going to happen goal).

I feel hungry all the time. I eat good, healthy veggies, I cut out cheese, I make very good choices because the band taught me that, however, my willpower right now is struggling and I want to see lower numbers on that scale.

Any tips or tricks you guys have to maximize your weight loss would be phenomenal right now. I need a pep talk

I have 6 1/2 or 7 in my band (lost track)....but I don't recall how many fills it took to get me there. My first fill was 4ccs then after that it was 1-2 cc's each time....so with that I'd say 3 fills...now some doctors, or so I've read on here, are slow with the fills....1/2 cc or 1 cc tops per fill....all depends as you know...

Is/Did your insurance pay for both surgeries?

same here...I had a stall around 40lbs...then lost 12 in one month....stalled again at 80..that lasted about 2/3 months and then I lost 8 when I was positive that I had gained...so much so I was afraid to weigh myself...I about passed out when I got on their scales and they told me how much I had lost Hang in there - it will pass and the scales will move again. Don't know if you are able to add some exercise to your process yet, if so - start walking...that helped me too....

Don't give up!!!!

did the doctor find something wrong when he did the EGD that made him remove the fill?

You look amazing!!! Keep up the great work...

Congrats on the loss..doesn't it feel awesome..I wish I had thought to take a "before" picture like that. I only have a few "accidental" full body ones where I didn't know I was in the background lol the only ones I really have are face ones....though a friend of mine said she was 10 lbs from being back into onederland and I thought wow, you weigh 210 and I'm only 30lbs more than you......but I still see that same really big girl when I look in the mirror..wonder if that will ever change.....do you have this problem too?

Thank you so very much for the encouraging words....you are doing amazing as well....

I saw my doctor yesterday. He removed 1/2 cc and I'm amazed at the difference...he said I was probably too tight to begin with and the EGD irritated by band...the amazing thing is now I get full (or notice) quicker than I did before the EGD...this may be because I'm still irritated but I LIKE it...lol I'm eating half of what I normally would eat....hope this stays around a long time.....

My surgeon performs an EGD after being banded for one year to check that my band is where it's supposed to be...I had it last Wednesday (7 days ago)...since then I have had difficulty eating....as in if its "good" for me - it's going to get stuck or make me feel extremely full after eating maybe 1/2 cup....and eventually make me throw up...not only do I get the "stuck" feeling..but my stomach actually hurts. Normally every morning I eat a greek yogurt before I take my morning meds. .yesterday I couldn't even eat the yogurt. This morning I'm having trouble drinking coffee, but I think that's because I tried to eat a small baked chicken breast for dinner last night and it's still hanging around.....

My question is, has anyone else ever experienced this after having an EGD? If so, how long did it last and did you do anything ? I almost feel like maybe I'm too tight right now..I know my stomach/band is irritated and swollen but is this a normal experience after an EGD?

Hi folks. I have a question about belly buttons? Has anyone who had weight loss surgery ever experienced a sore belly button? I was banded in 1/2014....around November I noticed a brownish ring around my belly button that had an odor to it. I cleaned it, used proxide and forgot about it for the day. The next morning before my shower, I noticed that outside my bellybutton had a red ring and inside it was as wet as could be.... now three months later, still have a sore spot in my belly button, still wet/oozing and sometimes appears to be thick slime inside my belly button. It hasn't had an odor since the first couple days in November, but never has there been a day that it hasn't been wet and/or oozing. Has anyone experienced this and if so, does it have anything to do with the lapband or weightloss? I'm leaning toward it being a weightloss issue as my friend had the sleeve and she is having the same issues...

Any suggestions??

How are you doing? Did you ever find out why you were in so much pain?

Sorry to hear of your trouble...may I ask what the picture you attached, is of?

May I ask what possessed you to try this "unsedated"???? LOL

it all depends how you deal with the sedatives. Some people are literally ok less than an hour later or almost fine coming out of the procedure. others take much longer. I did mine withno Sedatives at all...DONT DO THAT, unless you like gagging retching and burping on end while having a tube stuffed down your throat and saliva pour out of your mouth like a waterfall. its quite , fun. NOT. lol Good

Good luck and definitely keep us posted please

it would be my guess that you are too tight...keep the appointment with your surgeon...

You're right. You've done it before and you CAN do it again. Get to it!!! Lol

GNC

For those liking fish and salmon. How do you fix it? As time goes on and my band gets tighter I've discovered that chicken breast is not going past my band and I thought I was going to be lucky and be able to eat the white meat lol.

love this question..can't wait to see everyones answers

Hi,

I'm new to this site, and desperate to find help. There is only one support group in my area and it's on a night when I go to school. I also haven't been able to find a counselor who has lap band experience. I've been really down since having my surgery. I have crying jags and "buyer's remorse". I think the remorse is normal, but what about the crying/depression? I have Bipolar 1 and am very worried that this will bring on an episode. I'm not sure what to do at this point. Any suggestions, or tips from people who have experienced this?

Thanks

Welcome. I wish I had an answer for you, but I do not have experience with bipolar 1. I do suffer from depression and dread seeing winter come but I'm hoping that since I have lost some weight and can actually get out and walk and feel like doing stuff, that it won't be as bad this winter. Hang in there, you've come to a good place here in this forum....don't give up....

I have Greek yogurt mixed with a cup of blueberries every morning. I am a creature of habit, and I can eat the same meals every day, weeks on end. Unfortunately even the Greek yogurt is bit lacking in the Protein department, but it passes through a tight band in the morning with no problems. Once, when I mixed a bunch of my meds (big pills) I did have problems!

I see you were banded several months ago--are you in the "green zone," or do you need more fills?

I think I am in the green zone...though sometimes I wonder...but then I havent figured out if the "hunger" I'm feeling is a head thing more than an I'm really hungry thing. I lost 9lbs last month, crazy thing is, the two weeks after I go to my monthly doctor appointment i fall into this thing that I call "lets sabotage our weight loss progress"...and I don't eat as well as I normally do, sometimes I will gain a pound or two that first week, the second week I'll either lose what I gained or just stay the same......then the last two weeks I somehow lose anywhere from 6-9lbs....I love that I'm losing the weight, but the first two weeks drive me crazy...if I didn't sabotage myself, I could very well lose 10-11 pounds a month. I don't know why I do it, nor do I know why I don't lose anything the first two weeks of the month...even when I don't gain, the scales do not move ??? Is this crazy or what?

Somedays I would like to try just a little bit more in my band, but i have quite a few stuck episodes from not slowing down and chewing well enough, so I'm afraid to try more at this time.

I have heard several people mention that their band is tight in the morning and they are unable to get much of anything past their band until afternoon. I am experiencing this same thing, and at "certain times" of the month it is so tight that only yogurt type things will go past it. My problem is the yogurt is not filling satisfying me, unless I eat 2 or 3 of them, and I could do that- but don't wanna get burnt out on it at this point in the journey.

Does anyone have any really good food choices that I'm not thinking of, that would pass by my band? I'm getting tired of yogurt and really tired of getting stuck

Thanks everyone!

Welcome back. Thanks for sharing your success story, it's great to hear that you've been banded so long and still maintaining.... Sorry to hear about the recent stress in your life, but super happy to hear that you were able to grab your boot straps and pull yourself up again welcome and hope to hear more from you.

Have you talked with your doctor?