I was on again off again for over a year to have bariatric surgery. I initially wanted to have by-pass. So I joined Weight watchers to get a start of managing my eating habit. I started at 310 pounds, I got down dieting alone to 260, so I cancelled my consultation appointment figuring I could do this on my own. wrong. So after gaining half of that weight back I scheduled another appointment, I did very well pre-op losing weight. I was down 47 pounds b4 surgery. It's been 1 year since I had lap band (the doctor felt I had the self control that I didn't need to have such a drastic surgery). I was so excited to have the surgery. My days of being fat are over. Well here I am exactly 1 year later and I'm back at Weight Watchers. Absolutely I lost weight, down another 30 pounds, but with band adjustments tighter and looser, it's been a brutal roller coaster. I get it tightened, and its good for a while, then food starts getting stuck and I start vomiting ALOT!!! Then I get fluid out, and they take so much out that I gaIn double the weight back because I have no self control. I haven't been able to control my cravings for a year. Almost panicking that the band was going to prevent me from ever eating again. So that's why I joined WW again. To get back to basics of how to eat properly. I feel like a failure. How and when did it go so wrong. I was doing so well before surgery, and I can honestly say, since surgery I don't think I have gone a full week eating well. Candy has been my downfall, only because it doesnt get stuck. I'm frusterated.

I think part of the basics of eating properly that you need to get back to include how to eat as well as what to eat. It sounds as though a lot of your problems may have been caused by you eating too fast or not chewing properly or not leaving enough time between bites. If you haven't got this right then it is easy to get stuck and "vomit". Make no mistake it can be hard. First you have to unlearn the eating habits that you had for the rest of your life up until being banded.

You have also learned that no matter what you will always be able to eat candy. You need to find some way of dealing with this. You may need to cut it out completely. You may want to make an allowance for it in your calorie or points for the day/week.

You have also found out that having WLS does not guarantee success. That is because it is only a tool. It makes healthy eating a lot easier but it doesn't make the food choices for you or put the food into your mouth. That is the part of the process that you will always be responsible for.

Also at the beginning it is new and exciting and we are really motivated. After a while that wears off and it becomes easier to slip into bad habits. What you need to do is remember the reasons you wanted to lose the weight in the first place.

So you have made mistakes but that doesn't matter.Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back to basics. Do this and I am sure you will soon achieve the success that you are after.

And don't forget to keep logging onto LBT as you will get lots of support and encouragement.

How much candy do you eat?

I had the lap band with the plication. I don't have to have band fills and I can't eat a lot. I do eat mostly what I want to. But the plication is where they fold the stomach and stitch it and you don't need the band fills. I have lost 77lbs. since May 2011. I am still slowly losing. It can be reversed if needed.

I am guessing a more invasive surgery would have been better for you...weight watchers is very unlikely to work in the long term...

I hear everything all of you have said. and you're right. I have lost focus that the band is a tool to help me succeed. I lost track, and sat back and was waiting for the band to make me thin. It wasnt bad in right after surgery, but the past 4 months, I have acted as tho I have been on a non stop vacation. I was eating 1/2 gallon of ice cream at a sitting, a dozen oreos (or more) it was out of control. Granted I didn't lose weight, but I really didn't gain much, especially during the episodes of vomiting non stop and then not being able to eat ANYTHING not even water. But when they took out fluid 3 cc,, it was a black hole. Being on ambien I believe doesnt help, it doesn't seem I have any control. And you mention candy, there are days that that is all I eat. Preferrably peanut butter cups. or I'll eat PB ice cream and heat peanut butter to pour over the top. AGAIN after ambien. I don't eat like that at all during the day. Almost a competition at night,, and Im afraid to leave anything. Worse part, I usually don't remember eating. While I'm pigging out, there is no remorse

Sounds like there is more than food as an issue here. Does your doctor's practice offer counseling?

I had the lap band with the plication. I don't have to have band fills and I can't eat a lot. I do eat mostly what I want to. But the plication is where they fold the stomach and stitch it and you don't need the band fills. I have lost 77lbs. since May 2011. I am still slowly losing. It can be reversed if needed.

I'm not sure that people with plication don't need fills. Mine is with plication and I still need fills..I think it's a very individual thing

I hear everything all of you have said. and you're right. I have lost focus that the band is a tool to help me succeed. I lost track, and sat back and was waiting for the band to make me thin. It wasnt bad in right after surgery, but the past 4 months, I have acted as tho I have been on a non stop vacation. I was eating 1/2 gallon of ice cream at a sitting, a dozen oreos (or more) it was out of control. Granted I didn't lose weight, but I really didn't gain much, especially during the episodes of vomiting non stop and then not being able to eat ANYTHING not even Water. But when they took out Fluid 3 cc,, it was a black hole. Being on ambien I believe doesnt help, it doesn't seem I have any control. And you mention candy, there are days that that is all I eat. Preferrably Peanut Butter cups. or I'll eat PB ice cream and heat peanut butter to pour over the top. AGAIN after ambien. I don't eat like that at all during the day. Almost a competition at night,, and Im afraid to leave anything. Worse part, I usually don't remember eating. While I'm pigging out, there is no remorse

I think it's time to find a different medication than the Ambien. I know what you are speaking of. I find candy wrappers on the nightstand. But only one bite size. (Hubby confirms, only one). There are other medications you can take. Once you take that pill, there is absolutely no stopping yourself.

See if you can find something else.

YOU are not a failure!

I have been on ambien for 2 years and I am not sure what problem you all are having with it but it sounds to me like you have other issues going on here. if you are eating peanut butter cups and melting peanut butter and eating a half gallon of ice cream then this is not the band failing you, this is you making bad choices. when you say the band was making you vomit, how were you eating? were you eating slow, chewing, small bites, taking your time and choosing right foods, not fried or breads or things that get stuck? you should find out if your surgeon office has a nutritionist or counselors you can speak to in order to help you get to the root of the problem. I myself make bad food choices so what I do to help limit that is I dont have it in my house. if you have no control over what you eat at night then remove the peanut butter and ice cream, dont have it in your house, instead have greek yogurt, sugar free pudding, low fat cottage cheese, things you can snack on that are not necessarily bad for you. I was given cookies, candies, pies cakes at christmas time, i found myself eating them and when i got on the scale and seen i had gained 3 lbs in a week. I immediately took action and threw all of that bad food in the garbage and took it outside for fear i would get it back out of the garbage. food addiction and bad choices are the hardest thing to do with the lapband but remember, it is only a tool and it does work if you work with it. good luck to you

I would suggest you talk to someone about your emotional issues with food, otherwise whatever you do may not be successful in the long run. Good luck, and remember to check this sight regularly for motivation!

Thanks everyone for your feedback, and as hard as it is to believe or hear I need it. I did go see my doctor today and discussed the ambien and other mid life issues, he's sending me for bloodwork, and some of what I'm experiencing could be related to thyroid. But I have committed to going to sleep earlier and staying in bed. Its short term, but its worked so far, I havent attacked the refridgerator yet this week. One day at a time, one meal at a time. I've accepted I'm a food addict, so just like any other addiction I'm going to have my good days and bad, but I can't give into this anymore. I've done everything I can, I have all the tools I need to succeed. I have to believe in myself that I can do this for me, I'm worth it.

_{you are very worth it, keep up the positive thoughts, make good choices and dont let the food control you, you can do it. good luck and remember you need to EAT TO LIVE NOT LIVE TO EAT}

Merle.....do not give up...Elcee gave me some good advice regarding slider foods....I think you did not get the correct fill....your story sounds like mine....I would get a fill and could not keep anything down...get a defil and then be able to eat anything....I am in the process of finding the sweet spot....my clinic were not happy about the vomiting as you can cause your band to slip and other damage to your throat....you need to clear your house of the slider foods....the chocolate...ice cream and start eating foods with a crunchy texture....if you eat salad before a burger it stops you from being able to eat all the high calorie food as the cruchy stuff is harder for the band and hence you feel full.....thirst can also be confused with hunger so drink a glass of juice before you eat.....I am an emotional eater and I eat when it is my time of the month....I also have PCOS so I crave carbs.....I have given up chocolate in the past week and I have lost 3lbs and feeling a lot better already.....I have gone to therapy to understand the issues around weight....mine I have traced back to my childhood when my mother had a drunk driver crash into her and she was two years in hospital...my dad could not cook so hence my unhealthy eating habit began....no longer was my mother cooking but we ate junk .....when things are bad I turn to junk....but it is a short lived pleasure....long term it only makes you miserable...and makes you feel a failure....stop sabotaging yourself and get therapy....it is really helping me get back on the band wagon as MCCLB has said a few of us have fallen off...Listen to Elcee she has many words of wisdom and her weight loss is proof it can work!

I have been on ambien for 2 years and I am not sure what problem you all are having with it but it sounds to me like you have other issues going on here.

Snipped..

From drugs.com:

Before taking Ambien

Some people using this medicine have engaged in activity such as driving, eating, or making phone calls and later having no memory of the activity.

Not everyone experiences this side effect.