I was banded in 05. That is 6 years. .. wow.

So I struggled the first year with getting the right fill...

Then I lost 100 pounds pretty fast. (I started at 420 pounds) My fill was nice and tight.

And now for like 4 years I been the same weight. Between 305 and 320.

In the 4 years I have lost many many inches and my body has changed alot. And people constantly tell me how good I am looking.

BUT THE FACT IS. I HAVE LOST NO WEIGHT.. NONE. !

I cant get another fill because mine is already really tight. Its very finiky too. It tightens up more during my period (swells up?) and during other times I cant figure out, but during those times I cant even take ONE SIP of Water. And sometimes I go two days without eating. SO IF I tighten my band, than during those swelling up times I would CHOKE on the SIP of water.. And then CHOKE for two days, and well I experienced that in year one, and although I feel like I can tolerate anything.. the body wont allow you to choke, it produces so much saliva that you cant just bear thru it. I had to have an emergency unfil in the ER cuz I let it go for two days and got dehydrated.. ANYWAY... I WOULD LOVE A FILL... BUT for that reason I CANT DO IT.

As for now. I bring up my food, almost daily. I take a bite, see if its 'OPEN".. if not, I have to bring the food up out of my esophagus.

ITs never PUKE because it never enters my stomach. THen I wait and try again later. Till I find the time where I can eat.

What I do is drink first. Then I eat. Cuz usually when I am not open, I am not open to anything, not even liquids.

ANd I DO CHEW.. completely.. and I DONT EVEN TRY to eat food that isnt soft. I gave all that up years ago. I HATE bringing food up and I HATE the stuck feeling. I TRY TO AVOID IT at all times. I never go out to eat. I cant eat in front of anyone.

So mostly if I am not stuck, i will chew food and spit it out. (I cant do this when not open, as you know even the juice will get stuck)

BUt If I am open, I will chew food like chicken and then feed it to my doggie. lol gross huh.

Anyway. When I am open I usually choose to just drink chocolate milk. As it is FILLING and SOOTHING and YUMMY.

The only real food that ever stays down in my stomach is refried Beans with melted cheese, tiny chopped onions, sour cream and tortilla chips, which I eat about 5 times a week. Im sick of trying to eat anything else. Just sick of it.

I also eat alot of chips and dip and Cookies when I am open. THIS IS WHY I AM STILL FAT.

So.. Obviously, in order for me to lose more weight. I need to STOP drinking the Chocolate milk. STOP eating the cookies and chips.

I know everything i can have instead. I know exactly what to do. JUST WONT DO IT. For 20 years I wouldn't do it, and still.. humm I WONT DO IT.

The 100 pounds i lost.. WAS ALL BAND.. It was the restriction. And it worked for exactly 100 pounds. I LOVE RESTRICTION. I DONT EVER force food down, I JUST accept it. Its the BEST THING ever. I LOVE IT>

BUT when I am not restricted, I eat what I want.

I WANT TO BE RESTRICTED. MORE. BUT That doesnt look at all possible.

Prednisone takes the swelling away, but thats a dangerous drug and I cant be on it daily. IF I COULD be, THAN I could get a fill.

Im just kinda upset.. that I have to have a finicky band, that isnt consistent.. cuz if it was. I would have it consistently tight and i would lose all the weight I need to lose.

In the beginning, I got a lot of flack for having a really tight band. But it works for me. My pouch is not stretched, It didnt slip or erode. That is cuz I dont force anything, I just accept it. IF I CANT EAT. I Cant eat.. I dont care.. YET, if I can, I do. And I cant stop myself.

I dunno what kind of advice I want... I have to lay off the junk food and the milk and juice.. PERIOD.

I KNOW I DO.

BUT WAH WAH BOO HOO>> I WANT THE BAND TO DO IT. !! (I have tried, I hope you know that is just a given, I have tried everything, know that!)

NOW.. I WANT A GASTRIC BYPASS... but, no one will do it cuz my band is intact... and its considered a success.

I cant self pay.

I KNOW it would work for me.. CUZ just like now, when i cant eat, I DONT EAT... And if my stomach was too small and it caused discomfort, I would NOT EAT.. just like I dont now, when my band is too tight. .. I would NOT FORCE IT, as I NEVER do now.. I WOULD NOT stretch the stomach as I HAVE NOT my pouch.

Something about being restricted physically works for my brain.. HOW DO I CONVINCE the Doctors of this, when I am BEGGING for a GASTRIC BYPASS!!!?!?

THANKS FOR ANY HELP !!

xoxo

You dont know me. You just cant handle real honestly when you see it. I assume.

I can handle real honesty but I do not think we are getting it from you and think you are lying to yourself.

Cheri

The fact that she says I will "never follow the rules of weight loss surgery" says it all. She does not want to lose weight. She makes every excuse why she cant do it. Like I said I have no pity for someone who states I stay in bed all day and eats Cookies and chocolate milk she deserves to stay right where she is. Every answer she gives is an excuse as to why she can not do this or that. Give me a break you all really feel sorry for someone like that. We all had the same surgery and worked to get where we are and not by eating cookies and chocolate milk if she can eat that then she can eat a Protein bar. OMG really like I said SMDH for real.

The fact that I say I will not follow the rules.. is because for 6 years I have tried and I have had the best of intentions and I have failed. I might follow the rules for one day or one week.. or even a couple months.. but, I always fail eventually.... I dont feel LIke I am MAKING EXCUSES, as I am just stating FACTS... MAYBE one day I WILL do it, and succeed, but I have not so far so why should I continue to fool myself and lie to myself that I will.. Im just staRting to believe i NEVER will. I DONT have eternal hope for the situation. Thats all...

I tell myself not to buy the cookies, all my family isnt allowed to get me cookies and never do, my care provider will not get me cookies., but I still find a way....

I dont know any one here is saying that I am so horrible.. when isnt there thousands of obese people on this site, of whom ATE TOO MUCH, DID NOT HAVE CONTROL< ATE shit that wasnt good for them... for many years, always failing to stay on diet, always giving in and eating junk, .. I know Im not the only one.

Wow there is a lot of insanity on this thread.

I think you need an un-fill. I'm still somewhat newly banded, but my last fill has shown me the difference between just about there and too full--now I'm eating foods like -- Cookies and milk -- because they are easier to go down. It was MUCH EASIER to eat the right foods for weight loss with a little less. I think you are 1. eating "slider" foods with no fat burning properties or nutrition and 2. storing fat, both of which will keep you at your current weight, right?

Perhaps you should join a support group or individual counseling to learn a more healthy approach to eating and your body and dieting. It sounds like what you are doing is and will continue to be, destructive and harmful to your health--

I think your right..

but then I think, NO.. the junk food is providing enough calories to justify my 300 pounds. People think I dont eat and are confused, but really choc milk and cookies add up fast. I also eat Beans, sour cream and chips. So I AM getting the calories and all that.

I think about the health thing and then I think about how I was in a wheel chair 5 years ago.. and my diabetes was out of control.. and I had sleep apnea.. and NOW I DONT.. I healthier than I have ever been.... and I just want the next 100 pounds to come off, to be even more healthy.

but, still.. I know what you wrote it right.. Thank you.

Gastric bypass will still allow food and drinks and calories into your body. Unless you are in the 30% that experiences dumping syndrome after eating sugar, the Cookies and chocolate milk will continue to go down just fine.

I DO believe you want to lose the weight.

ANY weight loss surgery is not going to provide what you are looking for. We cannot eat and drink high calorie, high fat, high sugar/low nutrient foods and especially drinks with calories and sugar and expect to lose weight.

You might look into a duodenal switch. That provides the most malabsorption. But if you are honest with a surgeon about your lack of compliance, I am not sure they will be willing to perform surgery on you. Mine would not be, I don't think.

Thank you. I thought everyone got dumping syndrome. I was counting on that to keep me away from the sugar. I guess I better do more research.

I dont want to eat those things, I just cant seem to stop, no matter what I try. I was hoping the dumping syndrome would work for me.

Thanks again.

I wont post in here any more since i am making people uncomfortable...

Ill come back when I am doing all the right things and have just great things to report about my situation.

I wont post in here any more since i am making people uncomfortable...

Ill come back when I am doing all the right things and have just great things to report about my situation.

You don't have to stay away, but in the future you should realize that if you ASK for people's input on LBT, they will give it. THEN when you argue with them or tell them you refuse to do every reasonable option to help your situation, they get frustrated and wonder why you bothered to post in the first place, and why they wasted their time on you.

ETA: For some reason my post keeps getting cut off! The rest of it:

Seeing someone say "I can't" and "I won't" so many times gives the impression of a very lazy, irresponsible, immature, and selfish person--most of us have a limit on how much patience and effort we are willing to expend on someone like that. We don't all do the right things all the time, or only have good things to report--but the majority of us expend some amount of energy once we are banded. We don't understand you. Remember the name of your thread: " Just wanna share and see what you have to say to me." You've seen it, and had some good advice and stark reality.

Swimming is GREAT exercise, and you can do that with spinal stenosis. (but let me guess, your excuse will be that there's not a pool nearby)

Cookies, chips, sour cream, chocolate milk all accumulate in your stomch. They do not just "slip thru" especially with how tight you claim your band is. Yes, they are calories. Your body needs calories, but it needs the RIGHT type of calories. In all your years of therapy, nutritional counseling, support groups, etc you should be well aware of that.

You say we don't NEED to eat. ARE YOU serious? Really? PEOPLE NEED TO EAT TO SURVIVE. It's up there with breathing.

One of my problems with this thread and your posts (topic starter) is that you act like you're the only obese person who has struggled for years. Yers of "failure," poor choices, etc. Almost everyone with a lap band has been there...for as many years as you. People can and do make change. You're simply UNWILLING and that's become abundantly clear thru your postings. I hope for your sake you become willing and have great success.

i wonder what your home situation is... are you married or live alone? have kids?

it sounds like you need to have someone prepare your meals for you until you're able to do it yourself.... almost have a 24 hour caretaker who will do all the shopping and all the cooking until you are able to make the right choices.

i had been diagnosed with an eating disorder because of my love of binging. my psychiatrist wanted me to participate in an in-patient treatment.

is that something you could do?

Not getting the unfill could be why you aren't losing. The fact that you have to monitor when and if you can get food down is a clear sign you are too tight. You are not losing, so why fight the unfill. I recently had to get an unfill and it obviously caused me to eat more because I couldn't get enough down. Since unfill I'm back to losing and no longer letting the band control me. It's supposed to help you not hinder you.

I've gone back and read through this thread, wondering how we can help you but, to be honest, I don't think you're being honest with us. You say you're eating Cookies and chocolate milk and junk but in another post say you're healthier than you've been in a long time and "my diabetes was out of control.. and I had sleep apnea.. and NOW I DONT".

If you're still eating cookies and chocolate milk and junk, then your diabetes cannot possibly be under control...unless you're just increasing your medicines to deal with the extra sugar. In which case, it is not under control.

I think you have a decision to make. You either need to decide to *choose* to eat the right foods...or *choose* to remain fat...and then stop looking for pity.

Nykee...as a diabetic, those sugary things are causing an insulin response in your body which will create actual physical cravings for more. Yes, you can take insulin to compensate for the sugar you're eating *but* your insulin resistance will never reverse itself, meaning you will find it difficult to lose weight and the cravings will never go away. The best thing you can do for yourself is to eat a low carb, high fat diet and make sure your carbs only come from green vegies.

I really recommend the book "The Diabetes Solution" by Dr. Richard Bernstein. He advocates no grains, no starches and no fruit and I know some will say "nobody can live like that" but the truth is that for many diabetics, 'living' like that is the only thing that gets us off the meds, reverses the insulin resistance and controls our blood sugars...and keeps us from dying 10-15 years earlier as a result of the damage done to our bodies (and this happens even taking enough insulin to control blood sugar). People live without nuts because they know the alternative may be instant death. People live without gluten and wheat (celiacs) because they know it can mean death. Diabetics need to learn that we can live without fruits, grains and starches...because the alternative is death. Maybe not immediately but certainly a shorter life span as a result of out of control diabetes or side effects of long term use of diabetic medications. Look at the contraindications. These medicines aren't good for us either...but they're better than the diabetes...and getting control of our diabetes *and* getting off the medicines (or at least having to only take minimal amounts) is even better.

Check out my "how much protein" in the Nutrition forum for another idea how to curb food cravings.

/.

Honestly... I'd have the band removed and just be who you are, just be happy. It probably is not going to work for you and neither will any other WLS. Just be fat and happy!!!

SMDH if you want to eat Cookies and chocolate milk then you deserve to stay obese. Really???? you want advise here it is. I dont feel sorry for you because you said you will never follow the rules of wls so therefore you dont deserve any pity. If you are that tight but can eat cookies then something is wrong in your head. If you cant eat real food then you cant eat cookies. Im sorry but you do not deserve pity you deserve a good talking to from your doctor and see if he agrees that if you can eat cookies you can eat food.

OMG. Best. Post. Ever.

The OP seems to have no desire to do this, so why do we all keep replying with comforting words? She admits that she cannot comply, so let's just let her go on her own. She'll do it the right way or she will just end up fatter and even more miserable.

What you are looking for is a magic bullet. You want to find the easy way to lose weight without having to take any responsibility or do any of the work yourself. It doesn't exist. If it did, don't you think ALL of us would have used it by now? Those who are successful have accepted that the band is NOT "the easy way out" and that WE have to do the work. WE have to make good choices. WE have to work WITH the band. WE have to pick ourselves up after a lapse and keep going. WE can't give up and accept failure. None of us is perfect. We ALL have lapses. The difference between you and those of us who are continuing to be successful is that we recognize that we have never in the past been able to completely follow the rules (I have lost and found the same 50 pounds for years) and start over, sometimes daily. I have bad days. I have bad weeks. However, I do not accept this as failure. I want it bad enough to say to myself "ok, you've screwed up, but that does not make YOU a screw up. Fix it!" and I do. Does that mean I won't screw up again? Definitely not. BUT, I will not accept that as a lifestyle. I accept it for what it is...a JOURNEY with bumps in the road.

By saying you WILL NOT follow the rules, you have accepted failure and acknowledged that you have given up trying to improve yourself. Nobody can fix you except you. Take responsibility for yourself, talk with your doctor, decide what needs to happen to work with what you ALREADY have in place and worked so hard to get, and move forward. If you can't do those things, nothing else will work for you. There is no magic bullet.

Now, if you would like to discuss what I do to handle my sweets craving or how I deal with getting enough Protein or how I get my exercise in, etc. I will be happy to answer any of those questions for you. Is my way the RIGHT way? Maybe not, but it is the right way for ME and I am doing it within my surgeon's guidelines.

After reading it over again, I've decided to delete this post, since I think I was too harsh. I have nothing positive to say to the OP, but I'll just stick to not saying anything more on this issue.

Well this thread is an eye opener! (just banded) LOL

I seriously think you need to make an appointment with your bariatric surgeon for the best advice... AS SOON AS POSSIBLE... CALL TODAY... and don't lie to them about your snacking habits. Actutally, you should print out your post and take it to them. Why have you not spoken with them about this? If you have, and they are letting you live life the way that you are, then maybe a new doctor should be sought.

Someone mentioned a rehabilitation gym in an earlier post. That sounds like a SMART choice. Get moving. Lift some weights in your bed if you have to! It's better than nothing.

Why would you want to do this to yourself?