Hi Everybody....:think

I am feeling soooooooooo frustrated! I have gained back all the weight I has lost after my surgery. I had my surgery 11 weeks ago, I lost 15 pounds during the liquid face and maintained it off during part of the solid face. The last four weeks have been extremely difficult. I had my first filling on 4/27/06, and felt no difference. Basically I can eat the same food portions as before. I know people tell me I shouldn't eat, that I NEED to change my lifestyle and that the lap-band is just a "tool". I know!!! But I am an all or nothing kind of person, it's a mind trick I have to constantly play on my self! When I had some restriction I was making better food choices, but now I am back to ground zero! I don't know what to do! I have scheduled my second fill for 5/10/06, which is short of four weeks after my first filling, but I don't know what else to do. I need to start feeling some restriction. I am wondering if this was worth it. Any adivise will be greatly appreciated. MO

Is getting another fill going to solve the problem? What kind of foods are you eating?

I know what you mean about the "mind trick". I'm the same way and I'm an all or nothing person too. Which is why I do not allow myself treats and I don't tempt the fates by testing out different foods that I know made me fat in the first place. Some people say, "All things in moderation" but I say, "I can't eat just one!" So I tell myself that I can't eat bread or Pasta or anything fattening and sweet etc because it will hurt me and ruin my band. That's MY "mind trick" and so far it's worked.

The only think I know to suggest is to take a few minutes to really examine why you got the band in the first place. Search your soul for that feeling you had when you made the decision to be banded. Remember vividly why you chose to be banded. What was your reason? What was that pivitol point in your life that made you decide to make the change? Try to rekindle the commitment and then go through the banster "how to" list and start taking control again. Force yourself if you have to. Today will be hard, but tomorrow will be easier.

I can give you some ideas on foods to eat that will help you stay full longer. If you want to talk more, PM me or email me at skmorris2@gmail.com. I'm sure there will be others who can offer encouragement and sound advice as well.

Best of luck to you. Sincerely.

Don't worry, your band is still there for you. Sounds like you may need another fill. You do need to take responsibility for you eating choices, but it doesn't sound like your band is restrictive right now (as it should be). Don't be hard on yourself. You got the band b/c you admitted you needed to try something new to help you lose weight. That something new just isn't properly adjusted yet. Call your Doc, get a fill, and give it time..............in the mean time, focus on protein to fill you up and maybe then you will eat less of the unhealthy things that caused your weight to come back.........Good luck -- you CAN do this!

MDL- How much fill did you get the first time??? I think we had surgery around the same date- 3/8/06. Before I got my first fill, I had NO restriction. As you said, I could eat as I did pre-op.

However, I'm very thankful that my doc believes in agressive fills. I got 2cc in a 4cc band and it's working great. My suspicions would be that you didn't get much of a fill that first time. I'm not even scheduled for a 2nd fill until 6/6/06 and at this point, I don't really need it.

The band doesn't do any good if it isn't filled for most of us. Stick in there, be persistent with your doc to give you more fill. Generally they will give you more if you do it under fluro since they don't just have to guess like they do in the office. Communicate all this with your doctor and hopefully he'll do his job, and help you achieve the restriction that you are supposed to be getting with your band.

Kristin

I haven't gained the weight back yet, but i too am making poor food choices and i don't know where to go from here....

I too am afraid of gaining, but I found that tracking what I eat makes a huge difference and being honest with myself. I am fat because I do not know what a portion size is...so I now measure. I also record everything on www.fitday.com, which provide nutritional facts for what I am eating and tracks it against my personal nutrition goals ( for instance I allow myself 1000 - 1200 calories; 15-25 grams of carbs; and 80-100 grams of Protein. For me just seeing in black and white what I am eating has helped.

Just a suggestion!

I don't know if a zillion fills will work if behavioral changes aren't made. I have had to change how/what I eat because I really thought I could eat the same things post band. Well, I can, but I don't lose weight! :cry It's hard, though, but I figure it's worth it, I didn't go under general anesthesia for naught.

I hope it becomes easier for you.

Kelli

Sounds like you need another fill. From what I understand, they don't completely fill the band all at once. They sorta' sneak up on it. Talk to your Doc.

I'm also a big fan of www.FitDay.com Sometimes I don't want to take the time to add new custom foods but I'm always glad that I did it anyway. Seeing the numbers in black and white has been eye opening and very good for future food choices - for instance, I know if I want to eat something I love but is high in calories or fat, I know I'll have to eat something lower in calories or fat for subsequent meals so that at the end of the day, my calorie/fat count will be within my limits. In other words - I'm actually thinking about my food choices instead of just eating whatever I want. So far it's working.

Good luck to you - give food journaling a try.

I know I need a fill because it is much harder to make the smart choices that I was able to make just last month. I am hungry much of the time and my impulse eating is beginning to return. Yesterday I went on a bandster binge that didn't end until I had inhales 3 mini-donuts and one of those waxy honeybuns. Baah! If I wasn't too big to beat my own butt, I'd do it! I know that I am procrastinating in not calling the fill doc, guess I saved up my 'last meal' and 'binge mourning' until now. I will try and yank my head from my posterior this week.

K@t, it will get easier. Mushies are hard to do right and many carb dense foods are on the OK list right now. For me, carbs just bait the hunger. Watch the texture and wait for restriction. If mashed spuds are OK...

MDL, I think we have much in common. I have faith that it will get easier.

Hey MDL,

I had my first fill on 4/27/06 also. I don't feel like I have any restriction either. I am doing my best to stay away from bread products (although I can eat all I want). I am trying to stick with proteins as much as possible and I eat a lot of yogurt. I have not gained back the 15 I lost yet, but I'm having a heck of a hard time keeping it off. I can't take off any more time from work to get another fill until after the first week in June. I am really frustrated too. I find myself asking the same questions about whether or not it was worth it. I have decided that it's a little late to ask myself that question and I'm just gonna have to hang in there with it until I can get my fills right. I know I'll get there and you will too.

FITDAY.COM has been a tremendous blessing to me too! It KEEPS ME HONEST with myself. It's also kept me from feeling "guilty" and defeated if I eat something that's not quite appropriate, thus spiraling dwon into a bad cycle of poor eating! I am just committed to recording it ALL every day and know each day is a clean slate!

"His mercy is new every morning!"

MDL, My heart goes out to you. I am going through the same thing right now. I have gained a significant amount of weight since my re-banding. You've already gotten a lot of good advice - I just wanted you to know that you are not alone. I am also getting a fill on May 10th. I will be thinking of you on Wednesday. Hopefully, we will both get the restriction we're looking for. (((HUGS)))

Sweetie, if you aren't restricted, your band is not working. You have to go in for another fill. A band without enough fill is not a tool.

Plus, check to make sure that you aren't stuck eating mushy foods. Many people gain with those. Make sure that you are eating dense Protein. It makes a HUGE difference!

And I agree with the others. www.fitday.com is a great tool to keep it real.

Hang in there! This is a new tool for you. It takes time to get it properly adjusted and to learn to eat right. Your job is to make sure the band is properly filled, and you are making the right choices. Many times, if the band is properly filled, it is pretty easy to make the right choices. That is how this tool works. But you have to have it filled.

And it will take time to lose the weight. It won't just melt off. I keep thinking to myself that I didn't gain this overnight, so I can't expect it to come off overnight (I struggle with this one...)

Its the choices that you are making, I dont have to sit here and tell you that. So what should you do? I think that this is a very hard answer and it is MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES. Why do the bad at all if you are not going to stay focused and on target. I know that this is terrible to say but true.

I would kill for food but the other side of the coin is that if I eat it I will go back to the size I have been all my life and this is not an acceptable trade. This I know will be for life and a struggle for life so get into a support group of people who will truly support you with encouragement.