Glammaw

I need help. I have been struggling for the past two months. No weightloss, despite doing what I should. I am ready to get a complete unfill and just give up. It is so frustrating to go thru the surgery and not get the results you hope and pray for. I knew mine would be slow, because I have a permanent disability with a spinal fusion and both total knee replacements. I cannot do much exercise to help it along. But, now I am just ready to give up and go back to my old life, where my DH didn't complain about my NOT eating. Please pray for me. I know you all understand what I am going thru and I can speak my true feelings. I am at a crossroads...who knows where I will end up. My surgeon is not a nice man, and of no help to me whatsoever. Fills no sooner than 2 months apart. I have had 3 fills in 8 months. What's a girl to do?

That is a tough one. I know I went out to lunch today and they have bakery pastries. I had to say Satan be gone and not look at them:lol: I would be right there with ya on the desserts. Maybe you can find one that is your absolutely, over the top favorite and have just a sliver of that. Or would that send you into a carb binge? I had to pass up everything today because if I start I cannot stop. For me, it is better not to start. Just think how everyone would admire your willpower when they are stuffing their faces and you stay back. Only you know what you can do. For me, it is all or nothing

Got my fill today, .5 cc. He put in 1 cc, but then took .5 back out. Anyone heard of the Rotation Diet. He says it will kickstart your weightloss. Didn't I get this band so I wouldn't have to be on a diet for the rest of my life? He says this diet is ultimate surrender and guarantees a one pound loss per day, if you stay on it for the 21 days. You can only do it once every four months. He says it shouldn't be as hard as usual since I have the band. I haven't decided yet, and he says it is up to me. On liquids all day today so I can't tell if the fill is helping yet. Actually, if it doesn't help, I may throw in the towel. This has been a lot longer and harder than I was led to believe. Not at anytime has the band prevented me from eating anything but bread. I stop myself from eating. When am I going to get the help I signed up for when I had the surgery? I am eight months post-op and still on my own. I am praying this puts me at my sweet spot. I am not ready to try 2 sardines and some beets for my meal. Sorry for unloading....sometimes it just gets to be too much. I prayed that the doctor would help me today and I got the Rotation diet.

Thanks, Indogirl55, for the good thoughts. I work with doctors everyday and I realize they are just like me. He is overweight himself, so it is funny for him to be so strict with me. He is the only one who can help me get to the sweet spot. No doctors in Louisville will accept another bariatric surgeon's patient for fills. I just want him to help me and not make me feel bad. I want some help with this tool inside my body. I want a whole cc today, WOW! I will let you know how it turns out. appt is at noon.

dd, I have the same problem. I had to run to the restroom at the restaurant last nite due to chicken breast. I keep on trying though....how dumb is that???? Its hard to find protein without eating chicken. I am getting a fill today and I hope to hit my sweet spot after 8 months. Has anyone else been that long getting to their sweet spot? It really makes the loss slow and pretty much on your own. Good thoughts to all!

Well, I finally get a fill today. I feel like I lost the past two months, because of an unfill. I want to really talk to my surgeon today, so I hope he is in a good mood. I will be 8 months post-op on Tuesday and 59 on Monday. I really wanted to be down a whole lot more by my birthday, but it just hasn't happened. I am grateful for what I have lost, about 40 pounds, but I am hoping he will give me a large enough fill to make a difference this time. He can be very difficult and very demeaning, so you just never know. I am excited to get a fill, but really dreading seeing the doctor. I am an adult and he shouldn't make me feel that way. After all, that doesn't help. Sorry for rambling on...send up a prayer for me today that I finally hit that sweet spot after 8 long months. Good thoughts to all :thumbup:

Hi everyone. I am working on my "needs" and I am drinking more but not 64 yet. I am not eating the slider foods and I am not drinking with meals, although some chicken came back up today it was so dry. I am giving up on grilled chicken! No real weightloss yet, but it will come. Can't wait to see my surgeon for a fill on Wednesday, although he won't be nice because I haven't lost more weight. I always dread seeing him, because he says to completely give up he carbs. If I could do that, I would not have needed the band!!! Send up some prayers for me that I either lose a little more weight by Wednesday or the doctor is in a good mood and takes it easy on me. All on this journey are in my prayers nightly

You should be so proud. 91# is a lot of weight to lose and I know how much work it takes. I am at 50# total since start, but only 40 since surgery. I had hoped mine would come off faster, but it isn't, so what can you do. You are doing great and I know you will meet your goal. Keep going!:thumbup:

I am 7.5 months post-op and really struggling. Today, I want to eat everything I can find. I am going to do the 5 day pouch test on Saturday and I have another fill coming up on the 15th. I had an unfill 8 weeks ago and I think he took too much out. I have lost about 40 pounds so far, but it has not been easy. Do you think our age is a contributing factor? I am 58 and it doesn't seem to come off as easily as it does for the younger ones. I am off diabetes meds and a lot of other meds, but I had expected to be further along by this time. I, too, considered WW but I don't want to go that route after having the surgery. Anyone want to help and encourage a struggling bandster?

OK, I didn't make it one day. I have been starving all day and have eaten everything in sight. Guess I will start over tomorrow....anyone else having this problem? Are you finding that this is helping you kick the carbs? I think I am just not well prepared to be at work without food. I work 10 hour days, so I need to bring a LOT of liquids. I may just wait until Saturday when I am at home to start again. Anyone use Nectar or IsoPure? I cannot drink an entire protein shake (Unjury). Any suggestions?

I'm not looking forward to it, but here goes. I really, really need to kick the carb monster to the side of the road. And, I have a fill due next week, so this will be a good start for me. Here goes....

I want to recommit as well. I have only lost 40 pounds in 7.5 months and I have let myself down. Vacation is over and it is time to start anew. My three things are: 1.) drink all of my water 2.) don't drink with meals 3.) no slider foods, like ice cream, which has become a bad habit. I get a fill next week, after an unfill 8 weeks ago. I don't know what fill I have now, but it is not enough. Time to kick that motivation in gear again and get the next 55 pounds off. My goal for a month is 8 pounds, which will put me in onederland! It is a big goal for me, since I have never lost 2 lbs. per week, but I am going to really work at it! Good luck and let's keep each other motivated!

Thanks for the kind words. I know I don't exercise as much as I should, but having had both knees replaced slows you down a whole lot. No excuses though...I am in this for the long haul. I can feel myself slipping back to the carbs if I don't watch, especially when I don't show any loss. I am going on vacation and hoping to just hold my own....a loss would be a blessing. But, I get a fill on the 15th and that will help. You keep up the good work because it is really working for you. And, congratulations on 50#s lost....be very proud of yourself!

Good for you, Ebony Rose! It must be a wonderful feeling. I am not there yet. I had to have an unfill six weeks ago and I think he took out more than he put in to begin with, or I am back at no restriction for the past six weeks. This has been a lot slower than I expected, but the weight I have lost is gone forever. Any tips on what you are doing? I seem to be stuck here.

Guess I didn't respond after seeing the surgeon. He took out 1 cc and everything is much better. He said I was definitely too tight. He will only do .5 cc fills from now on for me. We were hoping this would be my sweet spot, but I don't think it is. I go back July 15 and I will get .5cc and hopefully that will do it. It is much better like it is than when I threw up everything I ate. The weightloss was good, but life was terrible. I never want to go through that again. Now I can eat small amounts and can drink whatever I want. I still find myself testing my band though. I know I can't eat bread yet still I try. Everyone is noticing the difference in my weight now. Although most say I can really see it in your face. Have I lost all of my weight in my face? My dh went to the dr. today and he has lost 22 pounds, with no surgery. Not having the junk around has helped him too!:cursing:

HolleyHobby, I will say a prayer for you. Mine had only been a week, but I could not have stood it for 3 months. I feel so much better now. My allergies cause me fits, too and while I want to lose the most weight I can as quick as I can, what I was doing was not living. I felt so bad they could have taken it all out and I wouldn't care. he only took out 1 cc and it is so much better. I can eat, take my meds and sleep. Hopefully, you just need a small unfill. Let us know what happens.

Thanks for the response. I saw my Dr. yesterday and he removed 1 cc and said hopefully this will be my sweet spot. He will not put in more than .5cc each fill from now on. I am at 6.5 now. And, I feel much, much better. I can eat, but don't need to. I can get my meds down, so all is well. I lost 6 lbs. last week, according to his scale. He did say that I was too tight if I had to sit up to sleep and couldn't get my meds down. It takes eight weeks to get a fill, so I never want to get an unfill, but I am glad I did this time. I do chew very, very well, small, small bites and I don't drink with my meals. After a week of hell, I am back to a good spot now. Let's hope it stays that way. :smile2:

Okay, I need help. I just had a fill on Wednesday, my third and I think I am too tight. I have 7.5 in a 9 realize band. I cannot sleep lying down, I have to elevate the head of my bed or I wake up in the night throwing up in my mouth. I took my meds on Wednesday after my fill, and i think one of them stuck in the opening for the band. I felt like i was choking for 2 days. I called my dr. today, who is in surgery, but will work me in tomorrow afternoon. This is no life. I want to lose weight, but I can't throw up everytime I eat. i thought the band was going to let me forget about food, not be afraid of it. I thought I was a little tight before this fill on Wednesday, but I wanted to lose faster, so I got another one. I am thinking of asking to go back about 2 ccs to 5.5. My diabetes is under control without any meds now and that was one of my main goals. Should I ask for that much of an unfill? Or, is this to be expected when you have restriction. Yesterday, I had one strip of bacon and one chicken tender all day. I cannot get down my B/P medicine either. Part of me says to have it all removed, but I threw out all of my bigger clothes. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks for the advice, 2-Lose. Your weightloss is incredible. You should be so proud. I will call my dr. if i can't figure everything out over the weekend. I just have a learning curve right now. I, too, have horrible allergies, so maybe that isn't helping with the tightness. This Ohio Valley is really tough if you have breathing problems. Right now it is storming with 70 MPH winds. I just wanna go home and get in the bed, but I can't. I asked for this, right?! By Monday, I will be all better....or I'll have less fill! Keep up the good work....it's working for you!

Thanks for the info. I haven't tried Isopure yet, but there is a GNC near me. I will work it out. It just takes time to adjust to a new fill. I'm sure you feel the same way. And, I work 10 hour days, so that doesn't help. I stay with my granddaughters another day for 12 hours, so the weekends are always packed. Little or no time for me. since I can't get my meds down, I am going through headaches from withdrawal from Cymbalta...3 days now. I will sit down and figure out what i can eat and what i can't this weekend and have a plan. I have worked so hard for this, I don't want to let it go now. But, I also don't want to be too tight. It sure is a fine line to walk, huh? Thanks for all the helpful advice. I appreciate it.

Thanks, Ebony Rose! Someday I want my granddaughters to think of me as Glammaw. It will happen....as far as this latest fill, I can keep down mushies, but there aren't a lot with protein in them. Most of the mushies I come up with are slider foods. I am having trouble with the solid proteins. And, since such a small amount fills me up, I am probably not getting enough calories in. I am going to use the daily plate to track it. Congratulations on your weightloss. I had my surgery on 11/21, so we are close. I wanted to hit this spot, but I guess i didn't do enough planning with my meds. Just wondered how everyone else got everything in. Are you at your sweet spot?

Hi everyone. haven't been on in awhile and have a name change from allthingsarepossible. That name was way too long. anyway, I had another fill on Wednesday and I am very, very tight. I am mainly on liquids, but can't get my meds down. They go down, dissolve, and come back up. I have 7.5 in a 9 realize band. Any suggestions for getting my meds down and keeping them down. I want the restriction, but I am learning an entirely new way to eat. I can really only eat about 3-4 ozs. of anything. If I take an extra bite, up it comes. I am concerned that I am not eating enough. How do you bandsters with good restriction get everything in during the day? Are you having protein shakes? I appreciate any suggestions, comments, help and I hope everyone is having great success with their band. I haven't seen Heather Vasq or Beth from VA or Gentylwind on here for awhile. Where are you guys?

I did stay overnight at Suburban. They were wonderful and I had no problems. I did get up and walk as much as possible to get rid of the gas. You have an xray before you leave the hospital and have some liquids. You have no fill in your band in the beginning. You wait 8 weeks for a fill and 8 weeks between fills. But, you will get there. I have had 2 fills and scheduled for my third soon. You will do great. Changed my user name to Glammaw.

I had surgery by Dr. Shina in 11/2008 and have lost about 40 pounds. He has NO bedside manner. I have a fill appt coming up though and I am going. How did your friend switch for fills? I have had no problems with my band and he is an excellent surgeon. I wish he were more understanding regarding giving up carbs and how hard that is. I can't eat bread anyway now, so that helps. I have friends who really like him. I think he is a good surgeon, but maybe not the most caring when it comes to follow up. I am sure you will be happy with the surgery. He talks to you the morning of surgery and gives you a chance to back out or change surgeons. Hope this helps! Good luck with your surgery!

I kinda feel the same way. I have lost 34 lbs and haven't bought any new clothes, except tops. I know that my stomach has gone down, but it is still there and that prevents me from switching sizes. I need to go to a smaller size, because my clothes are really baggy, but I can't estimate what size I will wear for the summer, so I just don't get anything. Anyone else having that problem?