I had this op in 2006 and initially lost about 35lb but since then I've been really struggling with gaining and losing weight. I've experimented with various fill levels but find I'm as hungry as ever. I find it really difficult to eat the high Protein food needed to keep me full but the sugary stuff that is my downfall just slips down as easy as anything.

Funnily enough the only time my weight was stable was when I had a job wining and dining clients every lunch time and every evening.

I've since sustained a back injury that limits my mobility which doesn't help but I've been really struggling this last few years. I went up to 217 lb, managed to lose 21 lb at Weight Watchers but have put 7 of that back on.

Am I alone here? Does anyone else have this problem? I am aware that maybe this wasn't the best option for me because sugar is my problem rather than portion size but I didn't expect to feel as hungry as I do.

I was banded a little over a month ago. I am down 30 lbs, but just gained back 4 over a weeks vacation. My mom is

Considering the surgery, but I told her it isn't a quick fix! We still have to be mindful of what we eat,

Don't eat the wrong things, and she Would have to find a way to exercise. Even if it is swimming or walking for 15-30 minutes a day! I understand injuries, but there

Has to be a

Way for you to get moving. I have a recumbent bike that I love! I love sweets too and that Is why I gained the 4 lbs back! It's hard

Work, but I know it can be done. Just find your motivation somewhere.

Another sugar addict here. I had to remove ALL sugary foods from my house, if I don't have them in the house i can't eat them. I usually get the sugar cravings at night watching TV..... I've been getting on my exercise bike for about 30 minutes (I keep my exercise bike in the living room), telling myself if I ride for 30 minutes I can get something to eat after. Course the only thing I want after is Water. :-)

What I am getting at is the addiction is habit based (aka head hunger) so change the habit. This won't work every time, but its a start..... do something 3 times and it's a habit. Good luck and don't give up. You can do this!

Sometimes I put out a tough crossword on my kitchen counter and force myself to try and complete 5 of the words before I head into the food. Sometimes this slows me down enough that I think over my "hunger"...

Another sugar addict here. I had to remove ALL sugary foods from my house, if I don't have them in the house i can't eat them. I usually get the sugar cravings at night watching TV..... I've been getting on my exercise bike for about 30 minutes (I keep my exercise bike in the living room), telling myself if I ride for 30 minutes I can get something to eat after. Course the only thing I want after is Water. :-)

What I am getting at is the addiction is habit based (aka head hunger) so change the habit. This won't work every time, but its a start..... do something 3 times and it's a habit. Good luck and don't give up. You can do this!

Like you, I can't have anything in the house like cakes, sweets etc. I've even moved house because I used to live opposite a convenience store (this wasn't the only reason I assure you lol.) I think exercise is a big problem. Unfortunately despite Meagan above who thinks everyone can exercise it isn't always the case. I do stretching and strengthening exercises but I damaged my back by exercising in the first place so any calorie burning exercise is definitely off limits as is swimming as I have chronic RSI too and swimming leaves me in agony. It's really frustrating, I used to really enjoy walking and going to the gym. I'm just beginning to feel that I can't eat hardly anything without putting on weight. I've gone back onto Herbalife as I lost some weight with that before my back operation but it still doesn't seem to be moving.

Sugar was my problem also but I kinda dealt with it doing Atkins before the band but I still crave it.I try to do a lot of sugar free sugar substitute which people talk about me for because if the " dangers of aspartame" but I have to handle one demon at a time.dropping the sugar lowered my blood sugar insulin levels and weight.as I get more in tune with my band I may try to decrease the amount of sugar substitute but for now this is how I roll.I do eat a lot of protein though .

Hello. I've had the lap-band surgery done 2 yrs ago. Best thing I've EVER done. I lost 105 lbs the 1st yr. I've kept it off. I DO struggle EVERY SINGLE DAY w/ sugar. I crave it. I do NOT eat it every day. I do drive myself crazy, because I think about it all the time. Only on Sunday's do I allow myself junk food. Your NOT alone. You can contact me to talk anytime you'd like to. Here is my e-mail: kittensmail@comcast.net. I'll give you my # if you do contact me.

I have not lost weight since I got my lapband in 2008. Mostly because I didn't follow the eating plan. I figured that just restricting food would result in weight loss, but Noooo!

So Im going to get serious now, follow the plan and HOPE the weight comes off. I did have this surgery for a reason I need to use it.

If I knew it was still going to be this hard I'm not so sure I would have bothered although I did lose a couple of stone quite quickly at the beginning.

I understand how you feel. Part of the reason that I decided to get a lap band was so that I wouldn't have to be on a diet my entire life. But I guess I will have to, but it will be a lifestyle after awhile. I think we can exchange bad habits for good habits...after all habits are learned, good or bad, so Ill just learn new better ones. I guess, like they say, anything worth while takes work. Hang in there.

Most importantly is to eat that Protein and veggies first. Make sure you ate getting 60 Grams protein which helps with hunger issues. Look for cool sugar free recipes. I don't deny myself something if I crave it but just know your journey may be slower. I go through dips where I eat healthy and have slip ups, this is called life...but I am really trying to make a healthy choice because I know it will benefit me:) good luck, I have about 30-35 pounds to goal.

That's the difficulty. Although I've had the band loosened I often find that protein gets stuck and I have to make myself bring it up. It's pretty embarrassing when it happens in a restaurant and you end up going back and forth to the bathroom 3 or 4 times.

I know what you mean. Until the past week, I would go out to eat with my husband or family, order a meal. Eat a little and I would stop eating and get quiet and my husband would say" are you stuck? You look like you are, your eyes are watering". Then Id rush to the restroom and bring up alot of mucus mostly and then Id feel better and Id actually try to eat the rest. What was I thinking??? Not anymore...Chew, Chew,, chew and stop as soon as you feel full or the slightest bit uncomfortable and pack the rest to go home. Then I have some more for my next meal.

New lessons learned just in the past week. 3 years into this you would think I had most of it figured out long ago. I lost about 65 lbs, in about 6 months and I settled in that range until about 6 weeks ago and it started to come back on and I wasn't getting it to come off. Not only that I was bloated and uncomfortable with most things healthy. I made an appointment for a fill but had to see the doc first. Fill is tomorrow, when I was in last week I asked for a copy of the book I was given after surery. Now I know that I didn't fully understand what I was trying to do. I didn't know how to (hadn't really tried) measure my protein. I don't sip my fluids, and would get stuck on water. I was taking bites to big, I only have about 5 cc in the band. The food would go down but I would get unfortatable after eating. My husband watches me closely to see if I need to "walk it off"; a couple of trips through the house and a big burp will have me breathing normal. I was chewing well but it was too much. Not stuck, but very heavy feeling after one or two forkfulls, and then I was hungry in no time; even scrambled eggs. This weekend I was very mindful of the bite size keeping in mind not wheather it would go down, but how I would feel. I had chicken parm w/pasta, ribeye, and veggies. I measured, took much smaller bites, and found that it was easier to swallow and NO discomfort. Now I haven't had but 3 fills and 1 unfill, thought I was to tight but had only irrated my throat then waited to long (fear) to refill. It has been a year so I really hope that this fill and understanding will get me back on track. Now I also understand that I was not being thoughtful about what, how much, and when I put things in my mouth. It the begining that seemed a lot easier to do, goodbye coffee creamers and sweet tea will become a weekend treat. :wub: