I am 2 1/2 years post-op. In the pre-op training they discussed the "beat the band syndrome" where you try to get around the band by drinking with meals. I never knew how important drinking was to the eating process. I lost 20lbs with the pre-op high protein diet and I am at that same weight now. I have been no more than 15 lbs lighter ever since the surgery. I have spent the past 10 years putting off the healthy eating plan until the "next meal". Now, I put off the healthy eating plan AND the NOT DRINKING WITH MEALS until the "next meal"....which never comes!!! They said that the band is just a "tool" to use in your weight loss journey. But, I thought I would not be able to eat following surgery. After the initial period of soft foods, it took so long for me to get any resistance that I had given up by the time they got enough fills in. There are no foods that I cannot eat!! I am a slow eater by nature and I guess I am an excellent chewer!! I never have issues with anything I eat and I have not thrown up in probably 2 years. I certainly have learned to beat the band...now i am beating myself up for not having the bypass surgery. There is a new employee at my work that had by-pass when she started last August and I have watched her dwindle away before my eyes...while I continue to drink while I eat!!! I have tried drinking large amounts before I begin to eat but I just cannot consistantly follow through! Even when I manage to not drink with a meal, I am not detered from eating any amount that I wish!! Any suggestions ??

Cannot or will not - there is a difference?

Generally you should be able to do anything you put your mind to so technically you can, but it seems that you don't want to.

You know why you have not been successful but it seems like you are not willing to take the necessary steps to change failure into success. You wish you had the bypass, well guess what - people learn to eat around that too! It seems that you are looking for a WLS that is a magic fix and the rest of us would love that too. However the reality is that no WLS is magic, none of them work unless the patient works with them.

Sorry for the tough talking but sometimes people need to be told the facts. All the people here have had to work to achieve success so if it was sympathy that you were looking for you are not likely to get any. However if you want tips from others, encouragement, exercise advice, meal ideas etc then we would love to be of assistance.

Cannot or will not - there is a difference?

Generally you should be able to do anything you put your mind to so technically you can, but it seems that you don't want to.

You know why you have not been successful but it seems like you are not willing to take the necessary steps to change failure into success. You wish you had the bypass, well guess what - people learn to eat around that too! It seems that you are looking for a WLS that is a magic fix and the rest of us would love that too. However the reality is that no WLS is magic, none of them work unless the patient works with them.

Sorry for the tough talking but sometimes people need to be told the facts. All the people here have had to work to achieve success so if it was sympathy that you were looking for you are not likely to get any. However if you want tips from others, encouragement, exercise advice, meal ideas etc then we would love to be of assistance.

absolutely agree.. many people can cheat a band, bypass or sleeve, some bypass and sleeve people even end up having to have a band fitted as well. Use the determination you have to good use and not to cheating and things may improve for you

Carnie Wilson was just in the news for eating her way around the bypass snd now just got the Lapband.She talks about making choices in this clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvWvQVOhfiw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

When I am in the green zone/sweet spot with my restriction I simply can not drink while eating solid food.

When was your last fill? The reason I ask is because over time some of the Fluid does go away. I still go in for a tiny fill about every 10-12 months for this reason.

You still have your band so it is worth giving the process another try. Go get a fill. Do not have a drink at the table with you.

Of course there will always be ways to sabotage, but maybe if you give it a chance long enough to fit in normal sizes it will be motivation to stay there. I encourage you to never give up and do this for yourself.

If anyone one ever thought this would be a quick fix they are absolutely wrong. Do we all have bad habits make poor decisions sure but this is a learning processess

I too CAN dri k with my meals and i have pretty good restriction but i choose not to. I have even gotten the help feom my husband aNd sons to help remind me of certain things

Like last night we were at a large gathering an i SO BADLY wanted the bread with butter. But dear husband said thats not a good idea did i listen sure did i mention the bread again OFCOURCE (im a carb addict) then he said "do you want to ruin the rest of your night by that?". I got the point an left the bread alone.

Sometimes we just need friendly remnders

When is the last time you saw your surgeon? Have you had any testing to be sure you have good restriction?

What others have said is valid, but it is also true that not everyone is successful with a band. Some insurance companies will pay for revision to another procedure if you have been compliant with band rules and failed to lose weight.

I'd also like to add, all (I think all) bypass patients lose rapidly in the beginning. After the honeymoon phase of 18-24 months is over, if they have not developed proper eating habits, there is a strong potential for weight regain. My surgeon says that the body develops ways around the malabsorption and learns to absorb more of the calories being consumed.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21885246 This study is true for every procedure.

At what point did you stop geting fills? I ask because it took me 6 months+ to get restriction. So the question is did you ever have restriction. I found the better food choices I made including less salty foods the easier it was for me to give up drinking during meals. I used to get so irritated when eating out that the waiter would not keep my soda glass filled often enough. I felt like I could'nt eat if I did'nt have soda to drink. Now I realize my problem was 1) My bites were so big I needed to wash them down, 2) my food choices were so salty I needed to drink constantly).

I am 2 1/2 years post-op. In the pre-op training they discussed the "beat the band syndrome" where you try to get around the band by drinking with meals. I never knew how important drinking was to the eating process. I lost 20lbs with the pre-op high protein diet and I am at that same weight now. I have been no more than 15 lbs lighter ever since the surgery. I have spent the past 10 years putting off the healthy eating plan until the "next meal". Now, I put off the healthy eating plan AND the NOT DRINKING WITH MEALS until the "next meal"....which never comes!!! They said that the band is just a "tool" to use in your weight loss journey. But, I thought I would not be able to eat following surgery. After the initial period of soft foods, it took so long for me to get any resistance that I had given up by the time they got enough fills in. There are no foods that I cannot eat!! I am a slow eater by nature and I guess I am an excellent chewer!! I never have issues with anything I eat and I have not thrown up in probably 2 years. I certainly have learned to beat the band...now i am beating myself up for not having the bypass surgery. There is a new employee at my work that had by-pass when she started last August and I have watched her dwindle away before my eyes...while I continue to drink while I eat!!! I have tried drinking large amounts before I begin to eat but I just cannot consistantly follow through! Even when I manage to not drink with a meal, I am not detered from eating any amount that I wish!! Any suggestions ??

my dr told me that the gastric sleeve surgery can be abused just the same, and once it is abused there is nothing that can be done about it. I would get in touch with a support group and a nutritionalist if i were you. Its such a shame that you went through all that preparation and surgery just to end up doing the same thing as before. How long were you planning the surgery before you had it done? was there evaluations and everything that goes with pre op?? im in australia and didnt go through all that. Werent you prepared for the reality of the surgery? i think you need to deal with that because that same mind set will get in the way even with a gastric sleeve.. with no chance of getting it fixed.