Hi all,

So, this is my current issue. After at least a year of careful consideration and education I was banded on July 8th. My problem is I feel like somewhere along the way my excitement/motivation disappeared. I don't know if I am just overwhelmed, a lot has been happening in my personal life. I just feel really disappointed...not in the band...in myself. I completely followed the "rules" for the post-op month and ever since then I just kind of get through the day. I have figured out that I am tight in the morning and even into the afternoon, so I wait and then eat later when it feels safe. I have figured out if something is "stuck" take a drink or walk around. I have mostly figured out that I am just falling into old bad habits or making new ones and I am so disappointed in myself its not even funny. I think it really hit me when I made the first payment on the $10,000 gift I gave myself how completely and utterly dissapointed in myself I actually am. I was just wondering if anyone else went through this??? How did you get back on track? Do you think this is just from 6 months of a lot of highs and lows in my life? Please respond with care. It's not that I can't handle correction...I can...it's just that I am already being really hard on myself and just want to get inspired again. It's not that I have done anything horrific, I just haven't given it the effort I thought I would. I would appreciate all you have to offer on this. Thanks everyone :faint:

After reading your post I can see you not only explain your problem you know the answer.

Everyone is different in how they react after banding. I had a great deal of success in the beginning and I was very happy. Now I am not losing like I want to or like I should. But Like you I know the answer. I'm not giving it my best effort. But I refuse to get down about it.

The band is a tool and only that. It will work with you, not for you or against you.

I find I have my best restriction when I first get up and it stays for awhile. If I don't eat I will get hungrier then I should be by the time I do eat then I pile it in. I have found that I just need to eat mushier foods when my restriction is tight but not a lot. Just enough to get something in the pouch and take away the hunger pains. I use meal drinks normally in morning hours with maybe a piece of cheese or dry rye toast. That will hold me for most of the tight period.

The Dr has to take his/her time in getting you to the right fill on the band and you have to take your time in finding out how to work around all the different things that can come up.

Looks like you have a handle on it since you know your not working well at it. Don't beat up on yourself. Took many years to get into this condition and it will take some time to get out of it.

Love my band especially when I treat it with the respect it deserves. I find then I treat myself with respect and life is good.

Best of luck in your journey

I just think this is a LIFETIME'S eating habits you're developing now and very very few people, even normal weight ones, eat perfectly. Its easy to get hung up on this but really, near enough is good enough over the long haul, you WILL eat the wrong foods at times.

My personal approach to bandhood has been no rules. I eat what I feel like eating, when I feel like eating it and over time, my choices have become predominantly healthier. But today I ate chocolate and lollies the ENTIRE day. My period is due in a day or two and that's what I felt like and I felt a bit sick by early afternoon but who cares? Tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that will be much better and 80% of my days are really really good and I"ve lost a ton of weight.

Dont be so hard on yourself. That initial motivation does not last for anybody.

The BEST thing about the band is that it is always ready to work with you when you decide to make the effort. It sounds like getting to the right fill level may help you too. Just decide you're going to do better tomorrow and take it a day at a time and it WILL work. But be realistic, dont expect to be perfect and dont beat yourself up when you're not. YOu have all the time in the world to get the weight off and all the time in the world to enjoy your new self.

Thanks guys...it helped. I think I was just having a blue day yesterday and everything always seems a little worse at night...doing great today and hope to continue to do so. :biggrin1:

I was banded May 31. For the first two months I felt as if

nothing was different. I could eat anything and mostly did.

I thought I should have had my brain banded instead. THEN

the second fill came. It has made a huge impact. I don't take

any bite without considering the consequences. I am still trying

to experiment to find which foods I can tolerate. I am amazed

at the care I have to take - paying attention to Protein intake

so I get enough...

Maybe after another fill or two you will get to the point that

the band is working for you. My nurse keeps telling me that she

doesn't pay any attention to what happens the first few months

because it's a period of adjustment. She says some people don't

begin to seriously lose for several months out. Her attitude has

helped me tremendously when my natural inclination is to think

that I've once again screwed up another weight loss plan.

Don't give up.