Finding myself reverting to my old habits...I was banded in August of 2012 and started my journey at 512lbs. I lost down to 465 the day I got banded and today I weighed 438. My lowest was 419 and with each agonizing pound I lose, I gain it back with a quickness and then some. I don't think it's a fill problem, it's a head problem. Been seeing a counselor, but struggle finding the help in it. I seriously feel like the surgery that I'm still paying off has been a dud. My food addiction plagues me...Any others struggling with this? Where can I find more help?

• Speaking for myself and from my own experiences....it has always been a band issue....even if I had a head hunger problem, and we all get them,and I still do from time to time, but the band is still there doing it's job preventing me from reverting to my old habits.....
  
• But then, that's me and everyone here has their own experiences with being successful......
  

I agree. head hunger can be the biggest battle we fight. Keep on fighting! Best wishes.Karen

First of all, (((HUGS))). How about a local Over Eaters Anonymous group or a band buddy? Do you log your food? I found that to be very helpful in holding myself accountable for everything I put in my mouth. I also take my logs to my appointments for their input/suggestions. I think you've taken the first and probably most important step by going to counseling. Best wishes to you.

Finding myself reverting to my old habits...I was banded in August of 2012 and started my journey at 512lbs. I lost down to 465 the day I got banded and today I weighed 438. My lowest was 419 and with each agonizing pound I lose, I gain it back with a quickness and then some. I don't think it's a fill problem, it's a head problem. Been seeing a counselor, but struggle finding the help in it. I seriously feel like the surgery that I'm still paying off has been a dud. My food addiction plagues me...Any others struggling with this? Where can I find more help?

when i started i was 336 and was a head hunger princess and felt this was my destiny...but it was ME who had to finally say, i am getting WLS, and its up to me to do what i can to make it work..dont hate me for saying this please.....

but you make the decision in what you eat...you revert back to old habits because you chose to do so.....now you choose to do better....eat your allotted amounts of healthy good for you foods and drink alot.....i am sooooo proud of you for seeing someone to talk to and help you through this..i did that for many a year after i struggled with bulemia and binging so i know what you are going through..

we all are addicted to food. if we dont eat, we die

so eat.....but choose to eat healthy foods and let the band help you eat less....you have to truly WANT to lose weight and then DO what you have to do.

you wanna talk or b**tch or vent, pm me anytime...

i am sending big hugs from NC to you.

One day at time sweetie! Sometimes...it takes one meal at a time. It's painful sometimes....it gets us angry......it makes us sad. But "my way" was NOT working. It just made me fat. Giving up CONTROL was the only way through. I submit to the process every single day.

For me...it's not about perfection but effort. If I bring that effort every single day.....I will transform.

Stay positive...be nice to yourself!

For me the best thing about the band is it stops the head hungry for me. I recently got sick and haf to have the band empted and I was so hungyry until this last fill now the head isn't telling me to eat every second. I need another fill to make the pocket for that added help. I have a 10cc and it works best as 6cc in it. Empty your house out from the junk food it helps if its not there to begin with. You have done a great job and you can do this...

We are all different, but for me the band has allowed me to identify and work on my head hunger. We each stumble and fall in this journey, don't lose faith.

I agree with line-dancer that it's very important to make your house a junk food free zone!!!

But we so often hear the excuse that it's not fair to the rest of the family. What?? It's not fair to want your spouse and kids to eat healthy too, and perhaps save them a life of obesity like the one we've all suffered with?????

CCornell87,

It took me a looooong time to get to this level of restriction and be able to control my hunger/eating ( a lot of head hunger/bad habits ). I've been banded over 3 1/2 years, so PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't get discouraged. It takes time to figure this thing out and change what we've been doing for YEARS. I almost gave up on this thing about two years ago. My band had an installation issue. I did the diet thing for the first several months, losing about 70#s or so, then my willpower dwindled, lifelong eating habits returned, weightloss stopped and I actually increased some.

FINALLY, my doc started doing fills with fluoro and we figured out my issue, he corrected it, and I'm doing much better. Even and INCLUDING with head hunger. Because I am at correct restriction.

Being close and being at the correct level made a big difference for me. THIS IS SUPPOSED/DESIGNED TO BE A LIFELONG DEVICE, so if it takes some of us longer to find that sweet spot and acheive our goal....thats ok.

Never, ever give up!

Finding myself reverting to my old habits...I was banded in August of 2012 and started my journey at 512lbs. I lost down to 465 the day I got banded and today I weighed 438. My lowest was 419 and with each agonizing pound I lose' date=' I gain it back with a quickness and then some. I don't think it's a fill problem, it's a head problem. Been seeing a counselor, but struggle finding the help in it. I seriously feel like the surgery that I'm still paying off has been a dud. My food addiction plagues me...Any others struggling with this? Where can I find more help?[/quote']

Where you had your surgery do they have support groups? I had mine at a large Boston hospital and they have twice a month. I go to them at a more local smaller hospital every month and they are great. Is your husband able to help you? Some partners are very helpful and some are a**holes. I have a real supporter and he tries to help a lot. I help him too and he has lost some weight. Good luck. If you need to vent more I hope I can help you

I agree with line-dancer that it's very important to make your house a junk food free zone!!!

But we so often hear the excuse that it's not fair to the rest of the family. What?? It's not fair to want your spouse and kids to eat healthy too, and perhaps save them a life of obesity like the one we've all suffered with?????

I totally agree! I live alone so don't have that issue, but I do find people use the fact that other family members want it, so it's in the house. I think it takes a serious talk with the family about your goals and how they can support them. One idea is to find things they like, but you don't. Along the same lines, find things they DO like that are on your plan. Another suggestion is to ask them to eat their "junk food" out of the house. As already said, nobody needs to be eating that stuff very often anyway- even if they don't have a weight problem. Good Luck and you can do it!

Update!! Oh my gosh, after finally swallowing my pride I dragged my sorry butt to the surgeon for a fill. I avoided going for months because I wad ashamed at my lack of weight loss and I knew we'd have "the talk." Basically, I'd have to admit my failures and cheating. The nurse who does my fills never said a word about her being disappointed or even being surprised...This happens, and probably more than people want to admit. I had lost only 3 pounds in 5 months (Having had gone up and down in the same 20lbs for weeks!) I even admitted to attempting the Omni diet after watching a friend lose 40 pounds, and desperate to get some quick weight off to alleviate some of my anxiety about going to a fill without any weight loss. You could tell her hesitation when I told her, but calmly reassured me that my band was much more successful at doing the same thing. She filled my band with 1.5cc's and away I went...Relieved it wasn't some horror movie interrogation. When I weighed at the doctors office on 5/28/13 I was 430lbs. As of this evening I am down to 415.8! I told my husband yesterday, almost in tears, "My God! THIS it's what full is supposed to feel like! This is what they've been taking about all along!" The past 3 days I've been able to stick to my small portions and actually feel like "Hey, maybe I DON'T need any more food than this!" Unfortunately I've had a couple instances where I've gotten to hungry and ended up getting things a little stuck, but I'm finally realizing where all those rules come into play! Before, I could feel things slipping through with little or no restriction, feeling like it was doing it's job I just wasn't doing it right. Now, I'm forced to listen to my body and my surgeons advice. Meals take 20-30 minutes and I'm chewing, chewing, chewing. It is a eureka moment!!! I'm hesitant to get too excited and know that my effort had to remain steady, but I finally "get it." It's amazing what a couple of CCs of saline and a little pep talk can do! I am pumped! I have plans to break the 400lb mark no later than July!! Thank you everyone for your AMAZING support and advice!!

I'm so glad you went back for a fill. I know it can be embarrassing and hard to admit breaking the rules. Head hunger is a nasty "b***h" and we need to fight back! This is a new start for you so take control and stomp that "b***h" out!

I was going to post tonight about head hunger. I am having issues with it and even if I drink Water I still feel like I should be eating. I am trying hard not to let the head hunger win or have fruit to help out. Any other tips will be great as well. I have to log my food more, but sometimes feel that when I do that I want to eat more. Hopefully it will get better.

Sent from my iPad using LapBandTalk

I was going to post tonight about head hunger. I am having issues with it and even if I drink Water I still feel like I should be eating. I am trying hard not to let the head hunger win or have fruit to help out. Any other tips will be great as well. I have to log my food more' date=' but sometimes feel that when I do that I want to eat more. Hopefully it will get better.

Sent from my iPad using LapBandTalk[/quote']

Logging your food helps so you can see what you are eating and how many calories are in each. I also like it because if you stick with it and be honest it tells you what you should weigh in a couple weeks. It was very motivating for me.

For me, I like the crunch of snacking. I eat Quaker Oat Squares, mixed with a couple almonds almond and banana chips. That is my go to crunch if I need Protein, I eat celery with Peanut Butter and raisins. I try not to eat sliders like yogurt. It never seems to satisfy me or stick with me. If I do eat yogurt, I add a little grapes nuts to it.

Find things to eat that you really enjoy. If you can find that satisfied feeling, the hunger will go away easier. It took me quite a while. Habits and head hunger are hard to break. Hang in there!