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This is my experience too!!!! And it's making me MISERABLE! I HATE this....and have not been able to find answers. I called my dr. yesterday to follow up about it, and we've been playing phone tag, but her last message was that she does not know why my band is so inconsistent like this and she wants me to come in for a barium swallow to see if anything's wrong, so now I'm worried.... I hope lots of people respond and help us with this!

Hi there!!! It's good to hear about your journey! I also have problems with how my period affects my fill level, and currently have a call in to my dr. to get it l sorted out. Here's been the most helpful thing for me: 1. Solid Protein at EVERY meal. 2. Solid protein FIRST 3. No liquid calories Just stick to the basic rules and you should be good to go!

My Dr. gave me a probiotic pill, and that has helped me drastically with the "fiber-related issues". i.e. pooping regular. You can also get Culturelle over the counter and this helps. I know this wasn't your exact question, but I thought I'd throw it out there just in case it helps....

Okay, I need help. I swear that my band is Bi-polar, and I'm a therapist, so I'm not just saying that. I was banded 9-4-09, and have lost about 30 lbs total. One day, my band is great--I have to eat slow and stead, small bites, chew alot, and small portions. (4-6 oz of meat, and 1 cup total sides). Part of me thinks that's too much. Then, the very next day, I won't even be able to drink Water in the morning. Sometimes it won't be until 3pm until I can drink comfortably without BPing it up. Then, the day after that, I can eat WHATEVER I want--6 pieces of pizza. Help! Does anyone else's band do this? I know I have restriction due to the fact that I get stuck quite often, but then the next day, I can eat ANYTHING in ANY amount. HELP!! (ps, yes, I am trying to eat Protein first, and I am taking small bites and chewing....but the days I get stuck on water in the a.m. are the WORST!) Any advice??

Thanks for your thoughts! Here's a couple of mine in return: I have been MUCH better about my food choices until I feel off the wagon recently. I stopped journaling my food (which was helping a TON), and I have not had healthy food choices in my fridge. The hardest thing for me is that I have zero support. I live alone in a "new" town, and have no friends or family in this area. So, evenings are definately harder for me to stay on track. I have helped fill this time by swimming, which has helped me cut down on crappy food. Since I live alone and work long hours, it's hard for me to make healthy dinners and keep the fridge stocked with good choices. I CAN do better about this.... Anyway, I agree with all of you. I just need to suck it up and get back on the wagon. What have your struggles been with emotional eating, and how did you overcome them?

Okay, fellow bandsters....I need help. It's been almost a year since I was banded, in 3 weeks it will be my one year bandiversary. I've only lost 25 lbs. I can't seem to lose weight! I've gone back to eating crappy, high calorie slider foods, and can't seem to force myself to make changes. I have been going swimming every night and doing some Water exercises (usually for at least 30 mins) a day. But, I'm having problems eating healthy. Here's what I've had to eat today: Breakfast: Fruit and Yougurt parfait from McDonalds. Diet Dr. Pepper Lunch: 2-3oz. pork tenderloin. 1/2 c. Pasta salad (Suddenly Salad) and 1/4 c. cottage cheese "Stress Snack at work": 1 can Pepsi Dinner: 3/4 baked potato with hot link sausage on top, cheese, and about 1/2 TBSP sour cream. For after dinner, I get lonely and will probably eat. I have leftover brownines, and will probably want to eat one with a glass of milk. HELP me! I am really getting bummed out with my lack of progress one year later....

A tip I read about once said to pour (not sprinkle) salt over the food that is left on the plate once you are full. This will prevent you from eating those last few bites. (And it feels "easier" than throwing it away). But, I am exactly in the same boat! I force myselt to eat even though it hurts sometimes. I feel like such a failure because I am 6 months out, have only lost 20lbs, and have a hard time stopping eating, especially since I know that after I burp, I will have more room to eat.

I have never been a breakfast eater, and have never liked yogurt, but I FINALLY found something that I LOVE! I buy "carbmaster" yogurt, Kroger brand, from the grocery store. It is 80 cals and 12 grams of protein! I buy the vanilla flavor... THEN, the best part, I buy fresh cut berries (strawberries, black, blue, and raspberries, pre-cut...NOT frozen!), and mix that into the yogurt with about 1/3 cup of low-fat granola cereal. It is so wonderful! Sweet, filling, and HEALTHY! I actually now prefer this "treat" for not only breakfast, but if I want dessert too. It's the only way I found to eat breakfast. The fresh berries are the key....frozen made me want to gag.

Today is my 6mth bandiversary, and I am feeling like the band hasn't really helped me. I have only lost 20 lbs!!! IN 6 MONTHS! I don't think I'm getting much of anything from the band. I DO have restriction...I am at 7.1ccs in a 10cc band, but I can still eat a lot of food (several cups, and can keep eating if I really want to). I know I need to be better about exercise and making good choices, but I don't know how the band is supposed to be helping me. Ugh, only 20 lbs. I am really discouraged. Any thoughts??

I was banded in Overland Park at Weight Loss Surgical Center...(on 135th and 69 highway-i think). I live in Salina, but try to make it back to Overland Park for support group meetings. I really wish I could find either some fellow bandsters around my area, or a closer support group. (KStateArmywife, how are you doing???) Have you been banded yet? Thinking about it? If so, where did you get it done?

This is what I would do if I were in this situation: 1. Schedule an appt. with the new dr., maybe a fill, to see if she lives up to the reviews. Until you meet with you, you won't know if she's a better fit. Also, you need a chance to ask questions, specifically if she also has a nurse who is the gatekeeper, etc. I would be honest and tell her what your experience has been like so far, so that she can shoot you straight. 2. If you like the new dr., I would definately transfer. 3. I would write a letter to the CEO of the medical center that your old dr. is part of. I would address it to the CEO (or whoever owns the company) and tell them about your experience because that is the person who cares the most about losing your business. Also, no CEO is going to make excuses like your dr. did for her behavior. He will deal with it because he's losing business. 4. In my letter, I would use bullet points or very clearly list the main few reasons why I was leaving the practice. Don't drag it out. The less words you use to state your point, the better you'll be. Anyway, don't know if this helps. Just thought I'd share what I've found helpful in the past. Good luck! Keep us posted!

Hi Guys, Just need some encouragement. I'm really feeling bummed and depressed lately. I feel like a lapband failure. I'm 3.5 months out from surgery and have only lost 15 lbs. I am doing the best I can....I need to be better about my exercise, I know that. But, I've just been really depressed lately--really lonely for the holiday, I think. And missing my best holiday friend....FOOD! Anyway, just typing it out. Hope everyone is doing well!

Is this real, or just in my head??? Just had my 3rd fill yesterday....I'm at 7.5cc's in a 10cc band. She tried to bring me up to 8 cc's, but the water wouldn't go down, so she took out .5cc's to bring me back to 7.5cc's. I am really worried right now because I feel so different than before. I feel TIGHT (except, I don't really know what that's suppsed to feel like). I am having a hard time keeping food down....and when I eat, I am really uncomfrotable. I am scared that I might be too tight, but I also am thinking that thist just might be the first time that I've been really forced to SLOW down and CHEW. Well, I have been working hard to go slow and chew everything to death, and eating is still super uncomfortable!!! My stomach feels really upset and on edge after putting food into it, and I felt like a runny milkshake earlier was not going down easy at all. (I thought a milkshake would be an easy food to get down.) Also, I tried to eat a bit of soup, and I thought I had chewed everything up really well, but I got stuck and puked my guts out at work. But, I have the tendency to overthink things.... What do you guys think? Is this all in my head, or is there a possibility I might be too tight??

So, I have to share with you all, because I have done my fair share of complaining on this board about my struggles since being banded. Tonight, I went and participated in my first workout class. I think it was kickboxing cardio, or something like that, but....for the first time in my whole life, I was proud of myself about what I doing with my body!!! I even got a bit emotional and had to try not to cry during the middle of it because I couldn't believe that me, at 270 lbs, had overcome my fear and was working out in a class with other people, and skinny beautiful women at that!! Now, I sure didn't get hardly any of the steps right, and I sweated in places I didn't think you could sweat, but I stuck it out, and kept on trying my best. I have ALWAYS wanted to work out like that, but have been too scared to try. It feels good to be proud of myself!

Hey Janine! I totally understand what you're probably feeling! In my experience, I didn't know any of the yucky details before my surgery....I just made the commitment because I wanted to lose the weight. Then, after surgery, I found the blog and started reading about what was happening to me....getting stuck, bandster hell, etc. I think it's really important to focus on the reason you're having surgery. There are good and bad points about EVERYTHING! Even if you were trying to lose weight without the help of the band, there would be good and bad points of every "diet" or exercise program. The band is no different...it just brings a unique set of challanges. I think you are in a really good spot, actually!!! You are going into this process FULLY INFORMED (about the good and bad), and you are going to have much more realistic expectations than I did when I had the surgery. Since your surgery is still a few months out, why not start NOW by practicing the lifesytle changes that the band will require (i.e. smaller portions, chewing, exercising....). The band truly is just a tool, and if you start the process now, it might help you deal with your fear. Think of it this way: while there are uncomfortable parts of the band process, it works for people, and those uncomfortable parts are worth it in the long run. If you decide to have surgery, you will go through the ups and downs, but one year later, I bet you will be feeling much better about your weight!!!! Keep us updated on your decision process!!! Good luck with whatever you decide to do....