I am 5 months out, $13K in the hole, and have only lost 30 lbs. I am glad to have lost that 30 lbs, but I am still so frustrated and started to feel like I wasted all that cash I spent on this surgery. I have been filled to the brim and maybe that's part of the problem. I got my 4th fill 1 1/2 weeks ago and have gained two lbs!!! The more I get filled, the more all I eat is carbohydrates b/c I can't eat anything without throwing it up, so I end up eating protein shakes, mashed potatoes, and ice cream. I feel like now that I have so many fills in my band, I'm eating worse than ever! I know I should be eating a salad and exersizing. but I pb on lettuce or chicken, or anything healthy, and I am too tired to exersize b/c all I have had to eat is CRAP! I know I need to march down to Dr. Maese and make him unfill me, but he will make me cry too. I need a band overhaul! Help me!

I love sweet potato but I can't eat snacks much less blueberries. Since I got fill #4 I have been able to eat only this: mashed poatoes, blended soup, ice cream, protein shakes, water, yogurt, and 1/2 the time I pb on this stuff! I have PB'd on ice cream! I am making an appt with Dr. Barker today to discuss all of this. I think maybe I need an unfill and a nutritionist. I cannot stress to new or wanna be bandster how much you need a doc with follow up. My doc has no follow up - sent me to Dr. Maese who is the biggest jerk, and now I have the 2 of them telling me different things, and my body telling me completely another!

! I know I need to march down to Dr. Maese and make him unfill me, but he will make me cry too. I need a band overhaul! Help me!

Need me to smack you around?! Just kidding. Here's some thoughts.

*It's your band, your band journey, your weight loss or lack of it, and your eating trends. Your doc is a doc. When you leave, he is on to something else. He doesn't stress about you NEAR as much as you'd like to think he does, or as much as he acts like he does when you are in his office. SO, go get a small unfill. GO GET THAT SMALL UNFILL!!

*Girl, you know what to do. Listen carefully to Jack's wise eating advice. High protien, low fat, low carb menus are much easier when you 1)can actually eat some protien without PBing 2)aren't pumped up on high carb/high sugar JUNK 3)you have the energy to at the very least walk for exercise.

*Ice Cream, mashed potatoes, and protien shakes are not meals. None of that is evil unless that's ALL you can eat comfortably. Hellllloooo!!! You know this. You need and unfill.

Now, go call your doc and make that appointment, hurry! before the weekend is here!

(((hugs))) and take it on the chin. You didn't waste your money.

Young lady, you march down to that office today and get an unfill! I'm Serious! Being too tight can put your band and your stomach at risk! Being too tight is miserable, and you don't deserve to be miserable.

it can be really difficult to stick to the bandster rules when you are a full time student. We have weird schedules and getting to the gym can be nigh on impossible at times.

And then we have 5 months, a 30 pound loss. Even if we assume there are 5 weeks a month (there are only 4.3) you still have lost more than 25 pounds. You have been banded roughly 20 weeks. 30 pounds in 20 weeks! You are averaging 1.5 pounds a week, spot on average. It's possible that you are just on a plateau, but you didn't post your personal rate of loss.

Your mini-goal is to lose 50 pounds in 7 months. This means that you have to consistantly lose more than 7 pounds a month. Which is more than 1.5 pounds a week. Is it possible that you have this slightly unrealistic goal adding to your stress?

Laura honey, I know it is so difficult to look at those "measily" 30 pounds, espeically when the rabbits are passing you so fast that you are choking on their dust. There is so much resentment that you can't lose like that. I know for me that my non-weight loss hammers home all those feelings of being a failure, yet again.

So, your plan of action, as defined by a Turtle: Get that unfill. Get a Pedicure and Manicure, (or maybe a facial) because you need it to help with the stress (and you need to do something to be extra kind to yourself. Start eating more solid foods, cause you have fallen into the soft foods danger zone. Check in with us. If that unfill isn't enough, have another unfill and then a deep conditioning treatment for your hair.

Vinesqueen....I love your replys. I fell like posting a thread so you can tell me somethings to do for myself. Your so sweet.

Is there a chance you can find a different doc to do your follow up? Sounds like this one is a real ass! I know it's hard to stand up to doctors, but if you can't switch to someone else, you NEED to go in there and INSIST that he do at least a small unfill. YOu can't afford to risk your health or your band by continuing like this. (I know, it's easy for me to say when I'm not the one who has to do it!)

Emily

Well, I cant do anything today - Dr. Maese is not in today and his nurses won't even pick up to talk to me, and I can't talk to Dr. Barker until my appt with him on Thursday. I guess I will just drink liquids, and hope that the 50+ times I've thrown up in the last 10 days haven't hurt my band.

Vines, I understand what you mean about the weight loss - I am happy about that loss. I just don't feel good about myself when I can't eat, I'm tired, my tummy hurts from throwing up, etc.

Vines said it all!!! Listen to her. She knows what she's talking about!!! :biggrin1:

I'm only 2 months out, so I'm not expert. What I know about food and dieting is if you don't eat enough, your body will hold on to its pounds for dear life.

I agree, get your unfill. Eat more FOOD. Try to exercise. Have a Protein shake every morning. (Only in the mornings). If you must have mashed potatoes add Protein powder (and lots of garlic salt cuz it tastes funny).

I really think you need food badly.

Sounds to me like lapband induced anorexia. YOU MUST EAT!

Well said Vines.

Laura, 5-10 pounds per month is considered decent loss. That puts you on the mark.

My opinion (I've been there)....too tight=junk + soft/high calorie foods

Shawn

Your at almost 1 lb a week. Which is totally normal. Nearly 2 lbs a week if you don't count post op before fill. I say, RELAX!!! You didn't gain it in 6 months, you shouldn't expect to lose it in 6 months. 30 lbs is gone forever!!! And you only have more to look forward to. Stop stressing and start really concentrating on the program. Don't put so much emphasis into the numbers rather than the nsv's and the other rewards.

Until you get in to get an adjustment, because it sounds like you are too tight. Try drinking some protien shakes and maybe eat some tofu? Tofu I can eat almost anytime, and I'm pretty restricted in the mornings. I dry it out a little between some paper towels cut it in cubes and stir fry it with so low sodium terryaki sauce. My husband the biggest meat eater on the earth loves it. It has become his daily afternoon snack.

Hope you can get in for an unfill soon. I've gotten lazy myself lately because I have restriction now for the first time...I'm eating mushies during the day. My goal this next week is to try to make my daytime meals as solid as my evening meal. I'm almost as far out as you are, and I just started loosing again after a month of NO loss. I know how frustrating it is, hang in there, and think of what you have accomplished so far.

YEAH - at dinner I ate a few chips and queso and some rice and one bite of hubbys tamale! I think maybe I was just swollen - am still gonna get a lil unfill on Monday but am feeling better now thanks to dinner and all your nice responses! Love you guys!

I have a friend that goes to Dr Maese for fills and he is aggressive with his fills. I was told that if you get to many fills too quickly and are too tight that is a higher chance of slippage. (dont know if that is true or not)

Just hang in there untill you get a tiny unfill. It will make so much difference when you can eat something again besides soft/carby foods. I can so relate to your frustration on feeling like you have slow weight loss. I am 4 months out and down a little over 20 lbs down (actually 16 weeks and 23 lbs gone). I have always lost slowly so this doesnt completely surprise me, but it is discouraging at times to see how fast some can take it off. I considered taking my ticker off, it is almost embarrassing to think others may see my loss as a "failure", but I really think it is just a reality check that we all lose at different rates. 30 lbs is good for 5 months, and really it is right on target averaging around 1.5 lbs per week. At that rate you will be down 78 lbs at one year. I personally tell myself that I dont care if it takes me 6 weeks or 6 months to take off my NEXT 20 lbs, as long as it comes off!!

My problem I can only tell myself I don't care how fast it comes off when I see the scale moving. Otherwise I'm stressing and stressing and my family gets it LOL.