I was banded on September 15, 2011, and by all accounts I'm doing very well. I'm making healthy choices, following all the band rules, and I'm exercising. I've got a 14cc band, and my surgeon will only give me 1cc at a time, so I've been at 4cc for the past month. I had another fill on Tuesday, and I got him to give me 1.5cc this round, and am now up to 5.5cc. At this point, I have no restriction, the only reason I know I have a band is because I paid the 10% insurance didn't cover. I know it's only been two days since the fill so I understand that this fill may get me to a point where I will at least feel something resembling restriction - but nothing yet. I'm not to the point where I'm giving up and saying that this isn't going to work for me, but I am at the point where I'm saying I did this to get some help and #$&it I want help now!

Right now, I feel like my life is focused on denial. I'm not eating what I want to eat, I'm eating what I should eat, all in proper portions. I'm constantly hungry, and I'm always thinking about the things I'd rather eat even though I plan my food a day ahead and stick to the plan. If I didn't plan, I'd end up making bad choices. I quit eating after I've eaten my allotted portion, and I'm still hungry. The last time I actually remember feeling satisfied was after going out to dinner with a friend, and I ate the full restaurant portion. I explained this to my surgeon, and asked if I should see a psychiatrist, because I'm committed to making this work, and I'll do anything to get there. He doesn't think a psychiatrist will help, that my problem is about the lack of restriction, and once I get there I'll be fine.

Add to this the fact I've been at a plateau for a couple of weeks now and I feel totally and utterly defeated. I log every bite of food I take, and wear a Fitbit activity tracker to monitor my calories burned. There has not been one single day that I have consumed more calories than I've burned. In fact, it says that I should be losing about 3.2 pounds per week, which of course I am not. I had the stomach flu, and weighed the morning it started, ate a very small Breakfast before getting sick. Didn't eat or drink for two days, weighed before I started eating & drinking again and I gained a pound!!! I know it's a plateau but I just want to scream!!

I've lost 80 pounds since I started my preop diet, something I should be thrilled with and proud of. Instead I'm focusing on things I have not achieved yet, and the foods & portions I'd rather be eating. I look in the mirror and I'm still completely disgusted by what I see, because lets face it, my shape is still a blob (no curves). I look at my BMI, and I need 1 more pound to be just "obese" instead of "morbidly obese", so no progress there either. People never acknowledge to me that they can see I'm losing weight, & I don't think I look much different than when I started. I'm still wearing my biggest clothes because I can, and I can't afford new clothes every time I drop a size. I've gone from a comfortable 26 to a snug 20 as I did have to get a new pair of jeans, which just doesn't seem like a lot to me - as ultimately I need to get to a size 8.

I am so negative and down lately that I can't even stand to be around myself. If anyone can offer advice or suggestions to get me out of this negative cloud, I'll be forever in your debt!

Well I was filled yesterday. It had been 3mths and my doctor confirmed I needed a fill. He was great today not lecturing,encouraging. I was pleasantly surprised only gained 0.2 pounds, I was thinking 10 or more. Feeling less hungry today. More positive will keep at it.

I go to the Dr. on Thursday, I hope he is not lecturing or negative because I am behind on my weight loss. I am trying. I have restriction. I feel bad enough I do not need him to make me feel worse.

Go get a fill even if you have to pay ( a different doc)...its not supposed to be that hard! A lot of docs are very cheap with the fills because they make money off of them...

Bear Lake, don't allow your doctor to criticize you! Everyone loses at her own pace, sometimes rapidly and sometimes slowly. There's no such thing as being "behind" in your weight loss. If he starts with the lecturing and negativity, tell him what you told us - you don't need him to make you feel worse. These guys sometimes have no bedside manner. Surgeons are used to people who are asleep on the table and whom they may only see once more, so they don't develop any people skills. The bariatric surgeons are no different, except that they NEED to develop a good bedside manner because they continue to see their patients fairly frequently.

Thank you. I think that is alot of it, he really has not bedside manner. I am hoping all goes well.

Just hang in there. That's what I tell myself. We're the customers our respect is deserved and paid for, that's the bottom line. I'm doing much better after the last fill.

Well I went to the doctor today and I was surprised to find out I had lost 8 lbs. My scale must be off. The Dr. recommended getting a digital scale apparently they are more accurate. Dr. said he thought I was doing good. Got a small fill. I do feel alot better..

Good for you! You can get an inexpensive digital scale in Walmart or Target. It's important to get that feedback.