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Getting back on track?



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Hello everyone- I am new to this forum but not to lap-band. I had my surgery 3 years ago and I consider myself a lap-band failure. I initially lost about 50 lbs and found when I reached 175 lbs I was satisfied with my weight. I know that was my excuse to fall back into my old habits. I found it very easy to eat my way around my band. I could eat what I wanted, throw it up and eat some more. Sad and disgusting isn't it? I was maintaing around 185 lbs (down from 225) and I was I OK with that (I shouldn't have been). Last summer, June 30th my sister died unexpectantly. She was 48. I have had a very difficult time with this and now I am up to 200lbs. I am miserable. I have not had a fill for 2 years. I decided I have to do something for myself NOW! I am educated and in the health field. I am a RN and a nursing supervisor. I am happily married and have a wonderful 10 year old daughter and I am going to school fulltime working on my master's degree. Sounds like I have everything? I do, except happiness with myself.

I am writing this not to be criticized, but because I am asking for your support. Has anyone else out there had failure? I only hear of people who have lost a lot of weight. Anyone know of anyone out there who had gained and what have they done to get back on track?

BTW- I am schedule for a fill tomorrow and I have ordered my Protein supplements. Please wish me luck! Help! LB

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Lora,

I am sorry for your loss. I have 7 sisters and can't imagine lossing one of them. I was banded April 21, 2009; lost 30lbs and I feel like a failure. I'm also struggling with perimenopause/menopause where I crave sweets and carbs. I never knew I could get so out of control! I started eating breads...never ate much bread most of my life. I have tried to get a handle on using my tool. I do good for a couple of days then the cravings come back. I did the low carb eating that my doctor recommend, but the same thing happens. I cannot wait to be done with menopause! Maybe we can help each other.

What were your meals like before (when you were losing)?

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SassyB- Thank you so much for responding. You are so lucky to have sisters. I only had one and we were close but there was a lot of tension. I wish we could redo a lot of things but we can't.

I would love us to support each other.

I have a very difficult time with carbs. When I initially went off carbs I literally went through withdrawals. I had the shake, heart palpitations and terrible mood swings. After I got through that (which was terrible!) I wasn't hungry! I was very satisfied with only Protein sources and I didn't have PMS at all!. But I went back to the carbs and I know I have to come off of them again but I am afraid of the side effects. Once I get past that point I'll be fine it is just making that step.

That step starts tomorrw- I am getting my first fill in two years and I am determine to make this tool work. I just wish there was an easy way to get carb free! Wish me luck! LB

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Lora,

I will be praying for you and myself, that we will be able to get off the carbs without withdrawals. Even though I'm not getting a fill tomorrow like you, I can however start the liquids tomorrow as well and we can support each other.

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I'm glad to hear y'all are getting back on the band wagon, but I would like to point something out.

Lora--Do you think you would weigh 200 if you didn't have the band? After a huge personal tragedy? 3 years later? I consider that a success.

Sassy--I know its been a year but you are down 30 pounds! Would you be disappointed if that happened every year? Maybe it will take you longer but you are doing it!

I hope y'all are able to Celebrate the successes that you have had and just build on those. Good luck!

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Sassy- Thanks for your support! Start those liquids tomorrow and we can do this together! You can find me on FB if you want-

Leigha- Thanks so much for your encouragement. You are right-I have been successful and I have only gained back part of my weight. Hitting 200 lbs was very depressing! I never wanted to see that number again... A close friend of mine has done so well that I have been avoiding calling her because I have done so bad compared to her. Yes, I know everyone looses differently, but I'm the one who talked her into the lap-band and here I am at 200 again! BUT!!! Not for long! Thank you for your encouragment! LB

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count me in also im starting over. i to have had alot of issues with my band lose then gain and so on now i have had all my cc's taken out and still have issues eating just not as much so as a result i turn to slidder food. working on that though. i did join ww yesterday and am looking for support as that is the key to. so i would be happy to join and offer support. and yes you guys are doing great compared to what u could have done without the band but, we still want to do better i so know how you feel.

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I guess I need to jump in on this band wagon too. I have been playing with the same 10 pounds for the last 3 or 4 months. Up and down.

I am tired of the back and forth on the scale and getting pretty disgusted with myself.

I know.....I am still 70+ pounds lighter than I was when I was banded but I expected to be even lighter by now.

I just need to get focused again and start doing this the right way.

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I know that the devil knows that I decided to do liquids today....I'm at work and everywhere I look people are eating...what is up with that? Well I haven't been hungry since I woke up at 3am this morning and it's now 8:43am. I think that I'd better go and make a Protein Shake before I get tempted. Hope today will be an easy one for all of us; I know for me I have this thing about wanting/needing to CHEW!!!

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China, Dianna, and Sassy,

First of all we all have done well when were doing the program. We know the program works, now we just have to start fresh. Because we have the band we can do just that! Today is a new day. I'm sitting here drinking my Protein Shake and getting ready to go get my first fill in 2 years. Lets do this!

Sassy- Drink some Protein every 2-3 hours to keep the cravings at bay. I decided to take off work tomorrow because I knew my first full day on liquids is going to be a bear! Hang in there and take it one hour at a time. Wish me luck today!! Take care everyone... Lora

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Lora,

I don't have a FB account so I will have to create one. The only thing is I will not be able to access it while at work. I have such long work days that at home I'm rarely on the computer during the week; but with this I will be anxious to see how are days are going. :smile:

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Hey you guys. I'm on FB as well. Message me your email addresses and I'll send you an invite. I'd post my email here but that just gets a bit messy.

Maybe we can keep each other motivated. We can do this!

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ok today was alittle rough for me i did have a glaze donut and a coffee as i was out running around. other than that i did ok. it was all still with in my ww points just not a good choice. will do better 2morow. how did everyone else do.

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Well yesterday was the pits!!! During my fill I got light headed and nauseated and had to lay down. My dr does it standing up under fluro. Then I just felt bad all day. I've been having headaches for the last several days- probably due to pollen, but last night I think the lack of carbs and sugar was starting to catch up. I am not diabetic but my insulin levels are so high I have a very difficult time coming off sugar. But! I made it through the day and I said a prayer last night and then again this morning thanking God for getting me through the first day. Now on to day two.

I woke up, no headache, but it is starting to come back now. I've had 1 ready to drink Protein Shake and I just made some Protein pudding. One hour at a time!! I have a lot of homework to do today- it is due tonight so that will keep my mind busy. Just wish I could turn off all the food commercials!

How are all of you doing today? Take care! Lora

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Lora, so sorry to hear about your loss. I cant imagine what you are going through! God bless you. Well honey I am in the same boat started at 215 got down to 169 then back up to 180. My blog has more details, no matter what you do exercise that is the one thing that worked for me..the minute I stop the weight wouldnt budge. I am always looking for food/protien tips...I am still confused on what to eat and when even being 3 years banded! Good luck--keep in touch!

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      1. Selina333

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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