BioTeacher

you sound just like me! I am one year out now and have lost only 35lbs. I am NOT NOT NOT eating bad stuff. All they say is it is MY fault and look at me like I am nuts. And I am exercising out the yazoo!! I weigh almost the same as you too! I am SICK of doing all this work and getting no scale movement! And I am tired of all the excitement of others. Thanks goodness I told almost no one I got the band or else they would be asking my WHY it isn't helping! :bored:

I read your blog entry today. very interesting thoughts about restriction. I too have had a real problem with this. Waiting for some big sign that it is there and then being told that is not what I should look for. Well, you have read my blog so you know this. I sure hope you get a handle on it way before you are a year out of this like I am. It is a tricky, tricky thing I guess. I wonder why many of these people just "have it" with the restriction and I can't figure it out! Just a thick skull I guess! Anyway, best of luck on your trip -- or maybe it is over, hope it went well. Your thoughts are helpful and fun to read. Thanks! What you are writing and thinking is what many of us out here are thinking too. Help us sort it out too! :thumbup:

I am reading the book Mindless Eating. Very interesting stuff about why and how we eat. Am hoping to get a handle on why I cannot lose more weight and why I have been stopped so long. Seems like maybe it is pretty DEEP in there. I have been trying to listen to when I am hungry and stopping when I have had enough to fill full and meet my amounts. Have kept up my exercising for three week solid here. Weights three days each week for 30 min. and 45-60 minutes on treadmill. Then about 20 min outside walking the other days. That is a FINE accomplishment and I hope to be able to keep that up. I am trying trying to eat small amounts. That is all I can do! I seem to have lost all my peeps to talk to. I am afraid I am just too negative. I am really and truly not a negative person. I just got really worked up about all this and how I am just not losing. Well I have two more weeks before I have to go in so maybe I will be OK for awhile now! Rather than focus so much on this I think I need to just keep trying and NOT focus so much on it. I am doing my best, it just ain't working well. So on we go. So sorry that I have had such a bad attitude that I scare off any Lap Band friends. They give up on me--and I sure do understand why. I really have to be quiet and just do my lap band thing and let them do theirs. And I will hope for all of you that you will have GREAT success! :thumbup: And then I will get what I can from listening and try to use to it help my crazy situation. Then maybe nice people who I have been talking to will talk to me about it again. As I said, my fault for being this way. Just hard to take when I need some one to talk to. I really need someone much farther out from surgery like me. Maybe they might understand the frustrations. "newbies" are just not there--and I sure hope they never experience the stoppage of loss like I have. Again I truly do. But it does hurt when they just stop communicating--but as I said, I did it to myself. So that is off my chest. Well I will keep trying my best--tracking food, exercising, water, watching my amounts, and on we go......

I am reading the book Mindless Eating. Very interesting stuff about why and how we eat. Am hoping to get a handle on why I cannot lose more weight and why I have been stopped so long. Seems like maybe it is pretty DEEP in there. I have been trying to listen to when I am hungry and stopping when I have had enough to fill full and meet my amounts. Have kept up my exercising for three week solid here. Weights three days each week for 30 min. and 45-60 minutes on treadmill. Then about 20 min outside walking the other days. That is a FINE accomplishment and I hope to be able to keep that up. I am trying trying to eat small amounts. That is all I can do! I seem to have lost all my peeps to talk to. I am afraid I am just too negative. I am really and truly not a negative person. I just got really worked up about all this and how I am just not losing. Well I have two more weeks before I have to go in so maybe I will be OK for awhile now! Rather than focus so much on this I think I need to just keep trying and NOT focus so much on it. I am doing my best, it just ain't working well. So on we go. So sorry that I have had such a bad attitude that I scare off any Lap Band friends. They give up on me--and I sure do understand why. I really have to be quiet and just do my lap band thing and let them do theirs. And I will hope for all of you that you will have GREAT success! And then I will get what I can from listening and try to use to it help my crazy situation. Then maybe nice people who I have been talking to will talk to me about it again. As I said, my fault for being this way. Just hard to take when I need some one to talk to. I really need someone much farther out from surgery like me. Maybe they might understand the frustrations. "newbies" are just not there--and I sure hope they never experience the stoppage of loss like I have. Again I truly do. But it does hurt when they just stop communicating--but as I said, I did it to myself. So that is off my chest. Well I will keep trying my best--tracking food, exercising, water, watching my amounts, and on we go......

The last two days I have gotten a call from the Office Mgr. at my doc's office. I went to a support group and ended up really voicing my frustration at the lack of results I am having. I had just come from yet another lecture on how I should just eat one cup of food and then stop and how I should not even feel the band or restriction. I am reading back through my threads and blogs trying to get a handle on just WHAT to say to this lady. So this blog is about my trying to clear up what to say. I do NOT want to be a whiner, complainer, blame everyone else for what is happening to me person! I guess the bottom line is this. When I went to the preop stuff I THOUGHT I heard them indicate that I would feel this elusive restriction thing. This would be a "full" feeling where I just could not, would not be able to eat anymore. According to the TWO lectures I have gotten at the office that is baloney. IF I feel anything like that then I am too full in my band. Now I have read and looked at many threads and blogs here and that is NOT what they all say. Many say once you feel it then you LEARN to not eat too much so you are not feeling that full sign anymore. I think I could go with that. What I cannot go with is that I have seldom ever felt anything and I am just supposed to stop eating. Wish I could have done that before, if so, I would never have gotten the band. So what do I tell this person? I guess it is that I do not feel that what was "advertised" is what I got. I am a college educated ANATOMY teacher for gosh sakes and I think I was not too DUMB to understand what was told to me was supposed to happen. Was I just soooo excited (as so many of these bandsters are) that I heard what I wanted to hear?? And did not hear the real thing?? Maybe?? This weight thing is a LOOOONNNNGG time struggle. It is near and dear to my heart so maybe I am crazy or nuts or just did not get it when I went. I am and have been trying to do everything they asked. I am not perfect but I am doing darn good in all categories. Ask my family, ask my friends....When I really got angry in March the nurse thought I had stretched my esophagus by eating too much! I knew in my heart I had not ! And sure enough all was OK on a barium swallow. Sure looked like all went down pretty easily and well too....hmmm. But I got no fill on that appt. because she was thinking I had stretched by eating too much! I don't eat that much!! Now the next question is, do I mention all the other problems I have there? Such as: 1) I seldom see the actual doctor--it has been since maybe January. 2) They never have my blood test results. When I called to check with the lab because it has happened over and over they said they had been faxed. One time I went in October for tests, At November they could not find them (and I went early enough!), and then in December someone finally did and told me I was low on iron, and handed me an order for my next scheduled routine blood tests! Now How could I make any changes in diet and iron for that test? Recently I went in and at checkout they tried to hand me another order when I had JUST WENT about three weeks before that for tests and they did not have any results! I still NEVER heard anything about those tests? 3) The one time I got angry and got the first lecture about not feeling anything I was then sent to the dietician ten minutes later who said--you just haven't hit your sweet spot(restriction!) yet! Well darn, the nurse had just told me there was no such thing?? What the heck?? Someone is not on the same page here! 4) My bills are messed up. They kept billing the fills as surgery, my insurance rejected that and they kept doing it since November. Finally they tried a different billing code which also got rejected! The lady is very nice --- I have paid them nothing but my copays--but I get the bills saying I owe hundreds of dollars now and it is upsetting. Very nice lady working on it but it is still there. When I asked to talk to this lady last time I was told she was in the Doctor's office and not the Hospital where I go for my appts so I could not do anything about that there. 5) My appts were cancelled and rescheduled a LOT at the beginning of all this. I went it once and I had a card and all saying I had an appt. and they did not have me down. I had to take a full day off work to go to the doc's office instead or wait another 6 weeks to get in. Since I am not feeling restriction(?) I thought I better get in there. However, since January this has been better so I feel I should not take this up at all. I need to finish this up. It is too long. I need to talk to this lady today. I do not want to complain about everything, I want to focus in. Anyone out there have some thoughts? I think I will just focus in on the restriction thing. What I thought versus what is happening. I think I need an aggressive approach, I need my band tight at least to get me going and something about it is not that. There seem to be docs out there who are making SURE the band is causing a change in feeling. Just not mine. So maybe I am such an extreme case that I need what the doc won't give me. Maybe I am a complete nutcase too?? Could be. The nurse says the doc is careful and has had very few complications. I should be GLAD about that! But it is not helping me get to where I want to go.I cannot sit at a support meeting where someone says: you just cannot GAIN with the band! Well yoo-hoo--you sure can! Even when you are trying HARD! I think I have been patient--almost a year now. 7ml in a 9ml Realize Band. 35lbs. but none since November 08. Have done all the things I was told. Not perfect but pretty good I think. Was told ---this is about it for the fills. Hey this is a long blog but anyone out there got some advice as to what to tell the office and not be a complainer?? I could use the advice!

I just finished my talk with the office manager. I told her most of my concerns including my peripheral ones. But that my main problem is this LACK of what I feel is real restriction. She said: "don't set yourself up for emotional failure." Well maybe I am getting to that. Suggestion that I see the counselor more often and perhaps go to the emotional eating group. I think I would not be so emotional over this if it was WORKING! If I did all this and saw some results I would not be emotional like this! I told her I did not feel what they told me at the pre-op was what has happened since then as far as the restriction. I was surprised at the amounts I can eat of even GOOD things like lots of salad and how it does not feel too full hardly ever! I told her I think I need a more aggressive approach to this. Well, whatever... lots of successful people there and I am one of the few dumb not so successful ones. How did I get so lucky? How could I get this thing in there almost a year ago and be one of the ones who did not lose much?? Well, I tried. I guess now I will try to make many more changes and see if I can get my emotional self better here. Don't see how if I can't/aren't losing any weight. It all depends on getting the band to help me and I am doing all I can I think. She said to set small goals and reward myself for them. Well there are lots of them but they do not add up to that ONE thing. Getting the darn FAT off! Later, later....gotta do something ELSE besides think about how this is not working after a freakin' year! Maybe it is that year thing that is getting me so messed up or the fact that I have lost nothing only gained since November. I am off here....

I just finished my talk with the office manager. I told her most of my concerns including my peripheral ones. But that my main problem is this LACK of what I feel is real restriction. She said: "don't set yourself up for emotional failure." Well maybe I am getting to that. Suggestion that I see the counselor more often and perhaps go to the emotional eating group. I think I would not be so emotional over this if it was WORKING! If I did all this and saw some results I would not be emotional like this! I told her I did not feel what they told me at the pre-op was what has happened since then as far as the restriction. I was surprised at the amounts I can eat of even GOOD things like lots of salad and how it does not feel too full hardly ever! I told her I think I need a more aggressive approach to this. Well, whatever... lots of successful people there and I am one of the few dumb not so successful ones. How did I get so lucky? How could I get this thing in there almost a year ago and be one of the ones who did not lose much?? Well, I tried. I guess now I will try to make many more changes and see if I can get my emotional self better here. Don't see how if I can't/aren't losing any weight. It all depends on getting the band to help me and I am doing all I can I think. She said to set small goals and reward myself for them. Well there are lots of them but they do not add up to that ONE thing. Getting the darn FAT off! Later, later....gotta do something ELSE besides think about how this is not working after a freakin' year! Maybe it is that year thing that is getting me so messed up or the fact that I have lost nothing only gained since November. I am off here.... :thumbup:

The last two days I have gotten a call from the Office Mgr. at my doc's office. I went to a support group and ended up really voicing my frustration at the lack of results I am having. I had just come from yet another lecture on how I should just eat one cup of food and then stop and how I should not even feel the band or restriction. I am reading back through my threads and blogs trying to get a handle on just WHAT to say to this lady. So this blog is about my trying to clear up what to say. I do NOT want to be a whiner, complainer, blame everyone else for what is happening to me person! I guess the bottom line is this. When I went to the preop stuff I THOUGHT I heard them indicate that I would feel this elusive restriction thing. This would be a "full" feeling where I just could not, would not be able to eat anymore. According to the TWO lectures I have gotten at the office that is baloney. IF I feel anything like that then I am too full in my band. Now I have read and looked at many threads and blogs here and that is NOT what they all say. Many say once you feel it then you LEARN to not eat too much so you are not feeling that full sign anymore. I think I could go with that. What I cannot go with is that I have seldom ever felt anything and I am just supposed to stop eating. Wish I could have done that before, if so, I would never have gotten the band. So what do I tell this person? I guess it is that I do not feel that what was "advertised" is what I got. I am a college educated ANATOMY teacher for gosh sakes and I think I was not too DUMB to understand what was told to me was supposed to happen. Was I just soooo excited (as so many of these bandsters are) that I heard what I wanted to hear?? And did not hear the real thing?? Maybe?? This weight thing is a LOOOONNNNGG time struggle. It is near and dear to my heart so maybe I am crazy or nuts or just did not get it when I went. I am and have been trying to do everything they asked. I am not perfect but I am doing darn good in all categories. Ask my family, ask my friends....When I really got angry in March the nurse thought I had stretched my esophagus by eating too much! I knew in my heart I had not ! And sure enough all was OK on a barium swallow. Sure looked like all went down pretty easily and well too....hmmm. But I got no fill on that appt. because she was thinking I had stretched by eating too much! I don't eat that much!! Now the next question is, do I mention all the other problems I have there? Such as: 1) I seldom see the actual doctor--it has been since maybe January. 2) They never have my blood test results. When I called to check with the lab because it has happened over and over they said they had been faxed. One time I went in October for tests, At November they could not find them (and I went early enough!), and then in December someone finally did and told me I was low on iron, and handed me an order for my next scheduled routine blood tests! Now How could I make any changes in diet and iron for that test? Recently I went in and at checkout they tried to hand me another order when I had JUST WENT about three weeks before that for tests and they did not have any results! I still NEVER heard anything about those tests? 3) The one time I got angry and got the first lecture about not feeling anything I was then sent to the dietician ten minutes later who said--you just haven't hit your sweet spot(restriction!) yet! Well darn, the nurse had just told me there was no such thing?? What the heck?? Someone is not on the same page here! 4) My bills are messed up. They kept billing the fills as surgery, my insurance rejected that and they kept doing it since November. Finally they tried a different billing code which also got rejected! The lady is very nice --- I have paid them nothing but my copays--but I get the bills saying I owe hundreds of dollars now and it is upsetting. Very nice lady working on it but it is still there. When I asked to talk to this lady last time I was told she was in the Doctor's office and not the Hospital where I go for my appts so I could not do anything about that there. 5) My appts were cancelled and rescheduled a LOT at the beginning of all this. I went it once and I had a card and all saying I had an appt. and they did not have me down. I had to take a full day off work to go to the doc's office instead or wait another 6 weeks to get in. Since I am not feeling restriction(?) I thought I better get in there. However, since January this has been better so I feel I should not take this up at all. I need to finish this up. It is too long. I need to talk to this lady today. I do not want to complain about everything, I want to focus in. Anyone out there have some thoughts? I think I will just focus in on the restriction thing. What I thought versus what is happening. I think I need an aggressive approach, I need my band tight at least to get me going and something about it is not that. There seem to be docs out there who are making SURE the band is causing a change in feeling. Just not mine. So maybe I am such an extreme case that I need what the doc won't give me. Maybe I am a complete nutcase too?? Could be. The nurse says the doc is careful and has had very few complications. I should be GLAD about that! But it is not helping me get to where I want to go.I cannot sit at a support meeting where someone says: you just cannot GAIN with the band! Well yoo-hoo--you sure can! Even when you are trying HARD! I think I have been patient--almost a year now. 7ml in a 9ml Realize Band. 35lbs. but none since November 08. Have done all the things I was told. Not perfect but pretty good I think. Was told ---this is about it for the fills. Hey this is a long blog but anyone out there got some advice as to what to tell the office and not be a complainer?? I could use the advice!

Well I just returned from working out. I spent an hour on the treadmill at about 3mph and about 45 minutes on the weights. I was trying to do them slowly so I can build some upper body strength. I sort of could tell by my lovely stomach that I had not lost. I have been doing really well on my eating too --lots protein, watching the amounts, etc. Well, well....I was just looking over my food diaries from last summer when I was banded. I was starving hungry ALL the time. I think I might try to do two high protein shakes a day and then three very small meals that are measured. Then I can see if I lose then. I sure did last year but I remember just having my stomach GROWL and hurt it was so hungry. But I need to try something. Don't have any big eating out challenges until Friday so I think can do it. Just hard to fix food for the family and then not eat it. Well I will just measure it closely with my little cup and see then. I also looked at the Realize brochure. After 12 months the average person had lost about 33% of their weight. And after two years about 41%/. Even though I have not lost for awhile, I am within that average. Not that many in their study had the larger weight losses after a year or even two. That is not encouraging! I gotta get farther than this. And even though I am average, I am OK to get it going again! Also I read that they recommend to put 9ml in the band. Well it is a 9ml band and I have 7ml in mine now. I thought they would not put anymore in but they still can all the way up to the 9ml--that is what it said so by golly they can keep putting it in there until I get where I need to be!!! I thought they HAD To quit soon--they don't! I read the brochure and I will tell them I did and even take it with me if I have to. So what if I am on the FAR end of the fills, there are always people at each end of a curve--I just get to be ONE of them! Interesting stuff. Well, I know you do gain when you start to exercise a lot which I have been these last 2 and half weeks. Now when is it that all that EXTRA muscle starts to burn more calories, raise my metabolism, and help me LOSE weight?? I sure hope it kicks in soon! You know though, I am not real upset. I KNOW I am doing just about ALL I can--writing down, water, protein, exercising. I KNOW I am !! Also it feels GREAT to know I was able and had time to work out that much! an HOUR on the treadmill! Wowser! I even sort of jogged a bit! Wowser. It is empowering. But once school starts back up kiss that goodbye. Maybe this will be the year I will figure that one out?? I always think I will be never do. I am lucky to have enough time and energy to do our daily dog walks when school starts. Then there are always the nightly and weekend paper grading. UGH. No time for me. Well--not to worry about that right NOW. Right now I can do it! Have gained but am doing ALL I can I know it......:thumbup:

Well I just returned from working out. I spent an hour on the treadmill at about 3mph and about 45 minutes on the weights. I was trying to do them slowly so I can build some upper body strength. I sort of could tell by my lovely stomach that I had not lost. I have been doing really well on my eating too --lots protein, watching the amounts, etc. Well, well....I was just looking over my food diaries from last summer when I was banded. I was starving hungry ALL the time. I think I might try to do two high protein shakes a day and then three very small meals that are measured. Then I can see if I lose then. I sure did last year but I remember just having my stomach GROWL and hurt it was so hungry. But I need to try something. Don't have any big eating out challenges until Friday so I think can do it. Just hard to fix food for the family and then not eat it. Well I will just measure it closely with my little cup and see then. I also looked at the Realize brochure. After 12 months the average person had lost about 33% of their weight. And after two years about 41%/. Even though I have not lost for awhile, I am within that average. Not that many in their study had the larger weight losses after a year or even two. That is not encouraging! I gotta get farther than this. And even though I am average, I am OK to get it going again! Also I read that they recommend to put 9ml in the band. Well it is a 9ml band and I have 7ml in mine now. I thought they would not put anymore in but they still can all the way up to the 9ml--that is what it said so by golly they can keep putting it in there until I get where I need to be!!! I thought they HAD To quit soon--they don't! I read the brochure and I will tell them I did and even take it with me if I have to. So what if I am on the FAR end of the fills, there are always people at each end of a curve--I just get to be ONE of them! Interesting stuff. Well, I know you do gain when you start to exercise a lot which I have been these last 2 and half weeks. Now when is it that all that EXTRA muscle starts to burn more calories, raise my metabolism, and help me LOSE weight?? I sure hope it kicks in soon! You know though, I am not real upset. I KNOW I am doing just about ALL I can--writing down, water, protein, exercising. I KNOW I am !! Also it feels GREAT to know I was able and had time to work out that much! an HOUR on the treadmill! Wowser! I even sort of jogged a bit! Wowser. It is empowering. But once school starts back up kiss that goodbye. Maybe this will be the year I will figure that one out?? I always think I will be never do. I am lucky to have enough time and energy to do our daily dog walks when school starts. Then there are always the nightly and weekend paper grading. UGH. No time for me. Well--not to worry about that right NOW. Right now I can do it! Have gained but am doing ALL I can I know it......

:smile2:The support group post op meeting was good tonite. But I felt out of place because without a doubt everyone at the table of about 15 people were doing 100% better than me. I am so glad for them I really really am! So happy it is helping them!! being FAT I sure know how it feels to be better! wow. I just wanted to get the heck out of there and go have a good cry. Which is what I did went I finally left. And that is NOTHING about the people there, they were great! I again just felt like a complete failure at the darn weight thing. I got lots of great advice about talking to the office mgr. and doctor about what is wrong. They said I need to take someone in with me and be more proactive. Well maybe. I did do that one time and was so angry I couldn't see straight. The only thought I got was that it is all ME now. You know I HATE people who blame others for the things that happen to them. I would be an absolute HYPOCRITE I blame the office, doctor, etc for my lack of weight loss. I am not doing everything perfectly but I think I am doing pretty good. I have tried very, very hard these last two weeks to eat the right amount, upped the exercise, and thought boy--I will lose some for sure. And NOTHING. I weigh the same as I did ten days ago. Right now I don't want to eat anything. Feel like if I do I will not lose. Man oh man. They were right about one thing, I am just about to throw in the towel. I cannot keep this up if I don't see some results soon. Now I don't want to go back into the office because I am afraid of a huge confrontation. Guess I just don't want to blame them if it is me. I hate this. Why can't I just lose a little at a time. By a year out I should be down a lot more than I am. You guys want a plateau, try a 7 month one!:thumbup: Now that is a plateau!! I have upped the protein, exercise, water, writing down pretty good, no drinking, watching portions....come on!! I guess this is just so DEAR to my heart that it is hard to go into that office and not be successful. Oh well. :mad2:

Soon2: Thanks for your encouraging words. I too have the years and years of yo-yo and failure. The problem is that THIS is beginning to feel just like all those other times....I get sent to the dietician every time now and I did talk to her last night at the support group. I probably DO need the therapist again and again and again. Not sure why they don't send me over there! You keep trying too now! Thanks for caring about others. !!

:smile2:The support group post op meeting was good tonite. But I felt out of place because without a doubt everyone at the table of about 15 people were doing 100% better than me. I am so glad for them I really really am! So happy it is helping them!! being FAT I sure know how it feels to be better! wow. I just wanted to get the heck out of there and go have a good cry. Which is what I did went I finally left. And that is NOTHING about the people there, they were great! I again just felt like a complete failure at the darn weight thing. I got lots of great advice about talking to the office mgr. and doctor about what is wrong. They said I need to take someone in with me and be more proactive. Well maybe. I did do that one time and was so angry I couldn't see straight. The only thought I got was that it is all ME now. You know I HATE people who blame others for the things that happen to them. I would be an absolute HYPOCRITE I blame the office, doctor, etc for my lack of weight loss. I am not doing everything perfectly but I think I am doing pretty good. I have tried very, very hard these last two weeks to eat the right amount, upped the exercise, and thought boy--I will lose some for sure. And NOTHING. I weigh the same as I did ten days ago. Right now I don't want to eat anything. Feel like if I do I will not lose. Man oh man. They were right about one thing, I am just about to throw in the towel. I cannot keep this up if I don't see some results soon. Now I don't want to go back into the office because I am afraid of a huge confrontation. Guess I just don't want to blame them if it is me. I hate this. Why can't I just lose a little at a time. By a year out I should be down a lot more than I am. You guys want a plateau, try a 7 month one! Now that is a plateau!! I have upped the protein, exercise, water, writing down pretty good, no drinking, watching portions....come on!! I guess this is just so DEAR to my heart that it is hard to go into that office and not be successful. Oh well.

So I went today and did 30 minutes of weights and 45 minutes on the treadmill at about 3mph. I just finished another 20 minutes of fast walk with my dog. I have really eaten LESS this week since I went to the doc. All my family has seen it too. But alas, I am not really thinner than I was last week on the scale this morning. I have been eating salad with grilled chicken, tonite I made some good beef veggie soup and only had one cup. I am trying to eat very very slowly and chew a lot. I still caught myself launching into my salad today and felt that little hurt so I slowed way down to eat it. I feel like I am really eating good things, drinking lots of water and upped the exercise. So maybe it will pay off soon! :tongue2: Come ON now! Saw my sister in law who had a roux en y at Christmas and she has lost 82 lbs! Man if I had lost even close to that I would feel I was really getting somewhere. I am just sooooo stuck. Am trying to do all the things I have been advised to do. I am doing a diary, eating lots of protein first, no no bread. No caffeine, etc. So I guess I am just going to wait and hopefully this big THUD will take place the weight will start to come OFF!! :sad: I sure hope it starts soon..... I will try some more cardio tomorrow but hold on the weights til Wed. I did see a friend at lunch today who had not seen me in over a year, first thing she said was---You have lost weight!!! wow. Someone who does not see me every day did notice! I have lost like 35 lbs. but that is in almost a year of this.....gotta, gotta, gotta get going again. Am going to the support group Thursday night. First time since around surgery. Supposed to be some fellow "strugglers" there so we will see. Hey, I need to be able to say I have tried everything!! I do not think they will put any more in my band. I thought I would get it at 7ml in a 9ml band and I sort of do, I think I just need a TAD more! Another 1/2 ml. But I do not think I will get any.....Oh well. All I can do is prove that I am doing as much as I can. Later. Anyone with any more advice about what to do get this fat body jump started again. Let me know. I am upping the protein as high as I can!!! Come on now=--------------WORK please! :crying:

:drool: So I went today and did 30 minutes of weights and 45 minutes on the treadmill at about 3mph. I just finished another 20 minutes of fast walk with my dog. I have really eaten LESS this week since I went to the doc. All my family has seen it too. But alas, I am not really thinner than I was last week on the scale this morning. I have been eating salad with grilled chicken, tonite I made some good beef veggie soup and only had one cup. I am trying to eat very very slowly and chew a lot. I still caught myself launching into my salad today and felt that little hurt so I slowed way down to eat it. I feel like I am really eating good things, drinking lots of water and upped the exercise. So maybe it will pay off soon! :bored: Come ON now! Saw my sister in law who had a roux en y at Christmas and she has lost 82 lbs! Man if I had lost even close to that I would feel I was really getting somewhere. I am just sooooo stuck. Am trying to do all the things I have been advised to do. I am doing a diary, eating lots of protein first, no no bread. No caffeine, etc. So I guess I am just going to wait and hopefully this big THUD will take place the weight will start to come OFF!! :wub: I sure hope it starts soon..... I will try some more cardio tomorrow but hold on the weights til Wed. I did see a friend at lunch today who had not seen me in over a year, first thing she said was---You have lost weight!!! wow. Someone who does not see me every day did notice! I have lost like 35 lbs. but that is in almost a year of this.....gotta, gotta, gotta get going again. Am going to the support group Thursday night. First time since around surgery. Supposed to be some fellow "strugglers" there so we will see. Hey, I need to be able to say I have tried everything!! I do not think they will put any more in my band. I thought I would get it at 7ml in a 9ml band and I sort of do, I think I just need a TAD more! Another 1/2 ml. But I do not think I will get any.....Oh well. All I can do is prove that I am doing as much as I can. Later. Anyone with any more advice about what to do get this fat body jump started again. Let me know. I am upping the protein as high as I can!!! Come on now=--------------WORK please! :biggrin:

:biggrin: Well I felt a little something today when I was trying to eat a small salad and some grilled chicken on it. I really slowed down and took it easy then brought most of the food home. Tonite I ate sparingly. I bet one of my biggest problems is eating too fast. I gotta slow down and chew, chew, chew... I have exercised over an hour like three of the four days this week and am going tomorrow too. I sure hope something starts happening because I had a pretty high weight this morning. I also think I am on the verge of or am in menopause. Wonder how that is affecting my system. But still I am feeling very tired and saw some small effects today that indicate that I am not quite all the way into it. That sure might explain why I am so tired and maybe holding some weight with that? Always an excuse! I am just trying to keep busy and eat protein if I feel empty. Today has been a good day and I am hoping this little bit of feeling I had today is some restriction finally. All I need is a little bit of help here and I might make it.

:biggrin: Well I felt a little something today when I was trying to eat a small salad and some grilled chicken on it. I really slowed down and took it easy then brought most of the food home. Tonite I ate sparingly. I bet one of my biggest problems is eating too fast. I gotta slow down and chew, chew, chew... I have exercised over an hour like three of the four days this week and am going tomorrow too. I sure hope something starts happening because I had a pretty high weight this morning. I also think I am on the verge of or am in menopause. Wonder how that is affecting my system. But still I am feeling very tired and saw some small effects today that indicate that I am not quite all the way into it. That sure might explain why I am so tired and maybe holding some weight with that? Always an excuse! I am just trying to keep busy and eat protein if I feel empty. Today has been a good day and I am hoping this little bit of feeling I had today is some restriction finally. All I need is a little bit of help here and I might make it. :wub:

Well this is quite interesting. What AM I going to do if they won't put any more in?? I am in a quandary about that. I see several other docs in indy but have no idea who I would go to. Also in reading the forums, many people are very happy with my doc and his staff. I am just frustrated. hmmm thanks for the poll, again, I feel a bit better....

I eat too much! Well isn't that a big surprise! I again got the lecture that I am expecting something that the band will not give me. I got the question of what I thought 'RESTRICTION' was. Here is what I think: at the LEAST a little "tug" that says--I am full and I cannot really eat any more. The lecture I got says that if I actually FEEL something then I am filled TOO FULL in my band! I should not feel pain, sick, pressure, nothing! I should just eat my one cup of food that is mostly protein, then stop and not be hungry. That is what the band is doing for me. Hmmmmm..... I still say that is NOT what I was told before I did this band thing. I thought I heard them say that I would feel full to the point where I could not eat and would not want to. I have heard so many people here say this. I feel NOTHING! Very seldom if EVER do I feel anything. I can eat a lot of food ---be it good stuff--- and keep right on going. Somehow, someway I have to put the stops to my eating. Well gee, if I could do that I would not have gotten the stupid band!! Anyway, I got to see the dietician AGAIN too. I think I know what to eat. I have seen so many dieticians, so many many times.... But I tried to put on my cooperative face and listened and will try to do. It just isn't helping. Also I now have 7ml in a 9ml Realize band. Who would have thought almost a YEAR later I would still be fooling around with this and not be having much success?? I was pretty much told that this is about IT. I will not get anymore in my band?? How do they know it isn't just leaking out into my abdomen? How do they know there is not a hole in the tube or something and it is just leaking out?? It could be. Sure would help me to know yes or no so I would think I am not CRAZY!!?? Who would have thought?? Oh Oh you people out there who think this banding is the beginning of just getting the weight off almost automatically, BEWARE! Here I am with not too much success. I read about these people and their "Bandiversaries" and how excited they are to get surgery and I fear for them. I was there. And now I am here. Well, I am hoping this is the FILL where I finally GET IT! Please, please let the restriction COME in some form to HELP ME!!!!!!! I guess that is it Bloggie. Nice to kind of GET IT OUT!! :w00t:

Hi there! I am wondering how you are doing now?? I have been going to Dr. Clark's office for 11 months now. I have a realize band with (as of today) 7ml in a 9ml band. I have yet to feel what I think is real restriction. I keep getting the story for Julie (the nurse?) that I should not really FEEL anything. That I should just STOP eating. She told me yet again TODAY that if I feel something then there is too much in my band. Not what I am hearing from many, many other bandsters. What do they tell you? Or is yours still working out? What do you FEEL? I am interested in whether you feel something and whether they are telling you that you should or not. Thanks!

Wendy I am both happy and sad as I read your response to my questions. What you are saying is EXACTLY what I thought the band was supposed to do. I have not felt that hardly ever at all. Only on stringy meats or once in awhile if I eat too fast. I was beginning to think I was NUTS! According to the nurse this morning if I felt what you feel I would be OVERfilled! This is the SECOND time I have had this SAME lecture. Gosh, I just want to feel SOMETHING. I think if I had even a little of what you are getting I would be doing a TON better. My sadness is in what to do. I have felt for awhile that I might need another doctor but I have tried to HANG on. I do not know at all HOW to go about doing that. When I was first banded they put off my appts 2-3 times because the doctor had an emergency so I was really really frustrated in December (5 months out). But that did get better. I was trying to hold on for as much fill as I could get. You would think 7ml in a 9ml band would do it. It has been half ml at a time for the last 6 mos. I did ask the DOCTOR (whom I have not seen for months now) about using fluoroscopy to do my fills. He said he felt it was not necessary and did not think he needed to expose either himself or me to the unnecessary radiation since it just wasn't necessary. Those are his exact words. Wish I had your doctor then..... Well I will see how this last fill does. Then if it does not help not sure what I will do. Believe me you have been so helpful. I feel better about what I thought should be happening. You are a wonderful inspiration and I very much appreciate your taking the time to answer my questions! I will keep looking at your progress. thanks again!