July5forMe

I'm glad you asked that question cuz i want to know the same thing. I've been banded for almost 3 years and i'm 10 lbs heavier than when i got banded. i fell off the wagon and never went back. UNTIL TODAY!!! if there is a such thing as stretching the pouch i'm sure i would have done it. I had a fill today and i'm assuming they would have noticed if my pouch was now the size my stomach used to be. I hope we get some helpful info.

that's one step further than I can take right now. It's funny how we develope these relationships with our doctors and then when we need them most we stay away. I know I did alot of research into my doctor and made sure I felt comfortable with him and made sure I just liked him. It's funny now because I like him so much and I appreciate everthing he did for me i feel like going to see him now after almost a year is laying dissapointment right infront of him. I don't want to see his face when he sees i've gained 20-30 lbs. At this rate you would think my goal is to get back to my preop weight. Because I sure am closer to that one that the one I had to get down to 160. which wasn't unreachable as far as I was told and isn't unreachable when i look at those before/after pics. I jsut couldn't do it. Nothing broken, everything is still in place, no pain, no nothing. i eat what i want and drink when i want and that's why i'm not succeeding. What is that line that I can't cross to actually put in a effort to make this thing work? What did it take for you to put your foot down and do it?

Laci, I think I was there a long time ago. Maybe months ago. I didn't go down the right path. I got caught up with my love for food and couldn't stop. At first I didn't gain or lose weight so I was okay with it because I wasn't gaining at least. But then I stopped weighing myself. Then one day you get back on that scale and you've gained. Yep! You can gain and you can gain even more than you've lost. I know this is your struggle and not mine but I feel for you. Because I went through that and here I am months later from where it sounds you are now and I'm still struggling with it. All I can say is don't wait long. Look for your help right away. go see your doctor or any support groups you have available to you. That's one thing I haven't done so I would say that's something you should do if you don't want to be where I am now. I battled with the depression and i'm just now getting it under control. It's not easy. Not at all. But the quicker you work at getting them resolved the easier it will be. Don't put it off like I did. Make the appts and stick to them. Good Luck to You. I feel what you are feeling and I know we can make it go away. Deep inside weknow what we need to do.

I'm starting over. I haven't been on play for almost a year. The band is still there and I'm sure still working is I stay on play and follow the rules. so...... I will stay on plan tomorrow because I am tired of blaming myself and food for everything. I will stay on a plan starting tomorrow because I am tired of crying all the time. I will have a plan from now on.

well thanks for all the posts. I don't know what I need or what I am looking for when I put what i'm going through out there like that. Everything you all say is right. It's like i know it but why am I not acting on it or doing what needs to be done. I feel so overwhelmed with so many things right now. My mom says women can take on a whole lot more than men and still succeed. Which I've witness first had myself. I'm going thru so much. I got layed from my job while on disability for my depression. (lets say that was a set back)that happened in November. I didn't get released by my doctor until this Feb 08. so..... layed off because of depression got depresson under control in about 3 month. still working on it everyday going to school fulltime. I have to make something of myself. This is the only thing I am happy about. its a burden at times but I won't give it up. I have to do the mom/wife stuff. housework, homework, pet care, dinner, driver, pretty much everything at home. I don't work right now because i want to get as far as i can in school and maybe i'll look for something in aug. I'm hoping to have a schedule and everthing undercontrol then. Right? I know I need to go see my doctor. I feel like I've let him down though. He's a very nice guy. Had good predictions for me. and here I am almost the same weight I was when he operated on me. It's so embarrassing. How can you face your doctor like that? <<<----- advice on this is greatly needed as well. well, i've revealed awhole lot more of myself than i thought i needed to. so thanks again for everyones advice. I appreciated it anytime some takes the time to read my post and actually say something. it means a whole lot.

I'm going on 2 years with my band. I was up to 40 lbs lost and now I'm back. I feel one day I'll be back where I started and then one day be heavier than the day I was on my surgery date. I don't know why I just assumed that I was going to be successful. I guess I just though was a stronger person and was just going to do it. I was obviously wrong. Does that mean I'm a failure? I kept the appointment. I got the fills. My weight loss was slow or just stopped all together. I couldn't stand to keep the appointments and just continue feeling as if I couldn't lose the weight. So, I only blame myself now because I don't go to the doctor. I haven't been in about a year now. I've been battling depression for the past year and I could only handle one thing at a time. Now that I've got my depression under control I'm debating whether or not I should start focusing on my weight loss. Has anyone else had a problem with depression after getting banded? Sometimes I feel like my depression may have been triggered by me losing my relationship with food. Any advise would help. I don't go to support groups and I don't know anyone else who is banded. I hate to ask but support would be great and any advise I can get.

:update: :cry hey everyone!:cry i know i haven't posted in months but alots been going on. Alot meaning life in general. Well, we're all coming up on a year and as far as i'm concerned i'm still going thru the ups and downs. You would think I'd be happy and losing the weight and finally got the hang of this whole lap band thing. But no! I haven't and i'll admit i'm getting frustrated but hey what can we do. I haven't seen my doctor in about 2 months so of course i'm able to eat alot more than i should. :hungry: :guess I guess I thought i was tougher than i actually am. The doctor tells you time and time again that this isn't easy, its hard because you are in alot more control than the bypass patients. I had not worries then because i thought i was tough back then. Let's just say i've learned alot about myself over the past year and there's alot i realize now that i didn't back then. I'm still lost about 30lbs. That's not nearly as much as most of you but i'll admit it has made a difference in my overall energy and out look on myself. so that i wouldn't give back. But still 30 lbs!!!! that's it!!!! all this and all i've got to show for it is 30lbs!!! you can't help but think all your friends are looking at you like "dang, i thought she had weight loss surgery". You know their thinking that because they don't see you in awhile and they expect this big change and then they see none. That's hard on me. It really is but you get used to it. I don't post on this thing for months and then i jump on dumping all my problems and thoughts on yall. You're probably thinking "julyforme who?". :Banane43: I don't blame you. Alot of you have developed meaningful relationships on here and practically know each other and here i come jumping in every other month with this day long post. I don't know what made me post after not posting for so long but its kind of like my outlet. Its sort of all i have. The only thing in my life that i would be able to say can relate with what i'm going through. SAD BUT TRUE. I'll vent all my issues and disappoints and then sign off to never follow through with anything. I never sign back on to see what anyone has to say so why do i even bother. Maybe you know more than me. I"m sure you all do. Honestly, i know why the band "isn't working" it's because i'm not. I haven't been able to avoid drinking and eating. Its like my drug. I'll literally twitch at the table if i can't drink and eat. I don't know what it is but its a fight i haven't been able to win. My band has gotten tight enough to where i can't devour food like i used to. I have had to slow down because i will get some discomfort. but no Pbing yet. I can't still eat all i want. I can't still go to fast food places and eat whatever. All i've noticed is that i have to eat it slower and chew it well but in the end it all goes down. i wish i could stop my self. and sometimes i think i probably can but deep inside me i know i don't want to. I can't lose food right now. Its that one thing you have that comforts you no matter what. How can i just throw that away. No matter how good it will be for me in the long run, what about now? what do i do now? That's all i can think about. WELL, i've finally upset myself enough for one day. :violin: This is the most i've talked about my band and all my issues with it in months. I thank all of you who actually care enough to read this whole mess of words. I appreciate any of you who care to respond to it. I don't sign on to lapbandtalk at all really and i barey log on to my email address associated with it. I'm not making any promises of a reply or a meaningful friendship but if anyone would like to get through to me my main email address is JLANE@MAIL.COM. please only write if you really have something you want to say. I'm already rethinking posting my main email address but something inside of me is screaming for help. :hurt i'll try to sign on more but no promises. bye for now.

hello everyone. long time no talk. I've been WAY too busy lately. i saw my doctor two days ago and had a fill. I don't know if i'd call it an appointment but a confessional. I admitted to anyone who asked that I haven't been following the rules. I've been eating whatever I want. I've been terrible. Therefore, I had to see the behavioral therapist. Yep, the shrink. I suppose it helped. I have to go to the support meetings now. Which I know is something I need to go to because I have NO ONE to talk to that can relate. I guess that's what i need. I have a few friends that know but it's not the same. so i had a fill and i'm super hungry and i thought it would be okay for me to have a small sundae. Just something to put in my tummy. Well, now i feel full and i keep burping and its just strange. I guess I already thought the band was somewhat working but i guess i was mistaken. I wish i had more time to talk to you all but i just can't keep up. So sorry I can't keep up with everyone's story and what's going on in their lives. I would really like to. So just know I will periodically log on and vent and unload my problems and try to come back for some good advice. I'm told I only need advice and support. I'll let you know what happens with that.

:update: I feel alot better now. I hate to admit it but.... I ATE TOO MUCH. :doh: i know. bad bad bad bad me. i know i know. i've learned my lesson. I barely ate anything today. and i don't feel hungry at all. I'm just not going to eat again. EVER! Okay. I"m lying about never eating again. :hungry: But i sure am not eating until i am hungry and i'm certainly not going to eat till i'm full. I think i had that one lesson i needed to learn.

oh my god! stephanie. you are doing so well. i can see a huge difference. You've lost so much weight. congratulations on that. I was so in aw of you pics i almost forgot why i logged on today. MY PROBLEM. okay so in my last poast i was talking about how i was all afraid of having my third fill and so on. Well, i'm not sure anymore. I don't think i'm over filled because i'm barely filled at all. I might just be overeating. or it could be that the other day my small dog jumped on my stomach in just the right spot. right between the "girls" right where my top scar is. I think that is right where my band is. I don't know but that's what i've decided. so right now i feel very uncomfortable. i haven't quite felt right since the dog jumped on me but it wasn't like this. Today at work they took us out for lunch to a seafood place called Pappadeaux. i'm trying to decide if i over ate or if the food just "doesn't agree with me". my doctor told me that some foods just don't agree with people. He said he couldn't possible explain to me how that would feel because he doesn't know. but some patients just say "it didn't agree with me". I ate salmon for the first time. it was good. i had no problem eating it. i also had one or two bites of the appetizers. Calamari, coconut shrimp, and fried alligator (taste like chicken). i didn't eat even half of the salmon. it came with some dirty rice. which i only ate a little of. i felt fine the whole time. I do have to admit i did drink a little while having lunch. Okay i admit i drank alot. I guess it was just because of the atmosphere and the company i was with i just decided to drink and eat like i used to because i thought it would just be more enjoyable that way. so back to what i was saying.... now i just feel blah. i can't quite tell if i'm in pain. i don't think so. i think it is just a really uncomfortable feeling. i haven't eaten since lunch and i don't think i will. i can still drink with no problem at all. i thought my dog maybe did something to the band when she jumped on me but i don't know how reasonable that is. i've never pb'd. i've never thrown up. this is probably the biggest meal i've tried to eaten since my last fill. so any advice or stories relating to mine would be greatly appreciated. i don't know if i should see my doctor or at what point i should. I JUST DON'T KNOW. i've kinda decided to wait till morning and see how i feel. If i feel fine i probably wont eat much all day because i'll be afraid of feeling like this again. for anyone who actually read thru all that. i feel like i have to say thank you. hehehe. so thanks.

i don't think i've posted since my last fill. i was so worried about this one. Well, it has lasted. I can't eat as much as i used to. I still can eat a good amount but its more on the normal side. I can still eat and i like that but its just getting used to not eating everything on your plate. I'm still getting used to not eating everthing in front of me. other than that everything is going okay. I like the fill. I'm really worried about the next one. Hopefully i won't need one. I don't think i'll be happy with the next one because that might be too much restriction. How much does everyone eat now? On average. What would be a normal amount for you? I'm just curious. I want to know what amount i should be aiming for. I'm glad to hear everyone's holiday went good. I still have alot of left over turkey to eat. So that's probably what i'm going to indulge in right now.

hola everyone!!! well, i got my 3rd fill yesterday. I have to stay on liquids for 48 hours so I don't know about the amount of restriction i might feel. I do have to admit i am a little scared to eat. i just wanted to check in and let everyone know where i am at so far. i'll be sure to check in again later.