headin_to_mxico

Hopeful, your band can't work right without a fill. I was scared of fills too until I started getting them. Dr's usually fill you up really slowly so as not to overfill you. The first three or four fills I got didn't even give me restriction. Then I finally got restriction. Had a few PB episodes that weren't that bad (plenty of time to get to a rest-room) and learned how to eat slow, chew well, and avoid them all together (for the most part, 99% of the time anyways). However, even being at restriction didn't get me to goal. And excersising hasn't really helped much. I started this thread a year or so ago and have been taking off and putting on the same five pounds. I lost 35 pounds with the lap band out of the 60 I wanted to lose. A lot of statistics say that people will loose a little over half their excess body weight. I guess that was the catagory I fell into. It is very disapointing, but I do realize that it is great that I lost more than half my excess weight and that it hasn't come back. I am confident that I will be able to keep this weight off. Without the band I would have only gained more weight in the years since I was banded. So it isn't all a loss. My first Dr wouldn't band me because I was low BMI. He said that he didn't think I would lose enough weight to warrent the surgery. I would say in one part he was right, I didn't lose much weight; but I still don't regret the surgery. I am now just "overweight" and no longer obese. I don't gain 5 pounds in two weeks if I go off my diet. You should call your Doc and get a fill Hopeful. I know its scary; but you were brave enough to get the band, you can find the courage to face the fear and get the fill. You will be ok. I was scared too for my first fill, but once I got the first one out of the way they got easier and easier to get. Its not that bad and restriction is what will help you lose the weight. Good luck!

Dont feel alone. I have lost half my weight (only 35 pounds!) and its going so slow. I also get discouraged and dont post here anymore because I feel like I am so not qualified to talk about the band since I have done so poorly with it. But I have not given up. I think a big problem for myself has been lack of medical attention and follow up with my band Dr. I was self pay and my old insurance wouldnt cover any costs. But I got new insurance in December and they say they will pay for my follow up costs as long as my primary Dr refers me. I have an apt to see my Dr in early Jan and Im hoping for a referal. I really dont see why he wouldnt refer me so fingers crossed. I am determined to make this work. I also have signed up at the college I go to for four days a week of two hour work out classes. I think this will help too (currently I am only signed up for two days a week). And my insurance should cover nutritionist. It would be nice if we slow losers kept in touch to keep eachother motivated not to give up. I still think I can do it; I just have to keep truckin.

Yes I also am a slow loser. I have lost just over 30 pounds in a year and three months which puts me at about two pounds a month instead of the two pounds a week my Dr said was the norm. But I am 7 BMI's down. And I know I need more restriction because I too eat more than a cup of food at a time. Until our restriction is ok then we wont lose weight at the right speed. The problem is that I have had more restriction and I hated PBing. I eat about half what I used to eat and I work out for two hours three times a week. Its a learning process and a life style change and I wasnt as gung hoe as some others who are losing it faster. If this is the speed I lose at then I deal with that; or else I go back in for a fill and get the kind of restriction that only allows for a cup at a time and also makes me PB anytime I eat breads or cabs and causes me acid reflux. Its a decision I struggle with. I think in Jan I may go in for a fill and deal with the side effects to lose weight faster. I think for the acid reflx my Dr can prescribe me something and as far as carbs go, I will just have to stop eating them with the tighter restriction.

today I am one year out. I have lots of reflections. 1) I was unrealistic about my expectations. I had about 60 pounds to loose and I thought it would all be off by now. Well I have lost 30. And today I am ok with that. Starting out with a BMI under 40 can make a lot of people loose much slower than the average 1-2 pounds a week. Yes I know there are those of you who started under 40 BMI and lost it all in the first year or sooner, but many many people who start with BMI under 40 loose much slower than that. So I am not so hard on myself any more. I just wish I would have gone into it with a more realistic time frame of getting to goal. 2) Restriction can be hard to get right! Fill fill fill, no restriction then BAM! Fill and I cant keep anything down, then small unfill no restriction, small fill too tight again, you get my point. Right now I have some restriction, but I am not as tight as Id like to be. At least Im not running to the bathroom to PB every time I eat. I dont know if I will ever hit the "sweet spot" I was looking for. However, I do eat about half as much as I used to. I am still learning the difference between head hunger and real hunger. I am much better at it one year out than I was at the start of this. 3) I have to work out! I do not loose weight without working out. End of story. A lot of people do, I am not one of those people. So....I work out now =) and during the weeks I dont, if I dont loose weight, I have no one to blame but myself. 4) I am much more excited about the second year of my banding than the first. I actually expect it to go much better now that I have learned so much about my body and how it works with the band. I do expect to be at goal by next year. I am happy that my band and I can get along and work with each other. I am happy that after a year of trying to loose weight I am gung hoe to start the next year. I have never staid motivated for more than a few months. I am glad that the band is a life change for me. Because it is a life change, I KNOW it will work for me. Maybe slower, but it will work. Happy Bandiversary to my band and me. I love you band!:cool:

I had the exact same problem with surgery in the US and the same BMI as you. I went to Mexico and had my surgery by Dr Rumbraut (sp?) Myself along with other bandsters here have used him and everyone I know who has used him has loved him and his staff. PM me if you want more info. One awsome thing about him is that he only cuts one incision thats about two inches instead of the five that most Drs do. That was the deal sealer for me. He cost around 7k if I remember right. Now one last thing. I feel I need to be honest with you and tell you that one year out I am only 30 pounds down. I know many bandsters who started with low BMI who loose much much slower than average. I am now half way done with my weight loss one year out, but going into it I thought because I had minimal amount to loose that I would be done faster. Not the case. Now some bandsters who started low BMI do end up loosing really fast. BUT, I think for most starting with a BMI under 40, it is much slower going for us. So mentally prepare yourself for that. I didnt, and I had some really dark moments where I didnt think it would work for me an I got really depressed over feeling like a failure. I now realize it is totally working, just taking me twice as long to get there.