Throwing in the towel

[BJean 16]

Jack's the man.

[Tootarts 0]

BJean,

At this point in my band life I guess I am trying to be possitive and try dieting, which is very hard for me obvously or I wouldn't be here in the first place if I could have dieted easily.

I had my surgery stateside about 50 miles from my home. I am lucky on that account because my old insurance company paid for the whole proceedure, except the nutrisionist, the phyciatrist and the physical. My new insurance company doesn't even pay for fills so having them done frequently is getting expensive, 500 dollars a pop.

There is a support staff and group meetings were I had the surgery but I found that this board is more helpful to me than any group I have been in, and it really is not convienent for me to go.

I quess I really have no options at this time like I said but to be more consience of what I'm eating and maybe trying a diet program like weight watchers, I have been thinking about that.

I really think the band is so different for everyone so I can't tell you what is best but just do your homework and hopefully you will make the right decision for you.

[BJean 16]

Tootarts: Sounds like you have a really good attitude. This forum is sure a whole lot of help, isn't it! I'm doing my best to learn all I can so that I don't get shocked afterwards.

You sound like a really neat person. Best of luck to you on your diet. Whatever it takes!

[GettingHealthyAgain 1]

Jack, Mary, all the people who've posted on this thread - thank you!

I've finally got some restriction following my 4th fill, and now am really in lapbandland, finding that I can't do Pasta or white bread, and have to chew meat very very well. I am still able to eat some popcorn and a few other things a lot of people have trouble with. About once a day since the last fill I've had "the golfball" experience, and had to throw up to get it dislodged. No big deal - I was a failed bulemic as a teen (meaning I stayed fat despite being bulemic), so the mechanics of the thing are easy, even though it's not something I really want to have to do everyday.

But I'm also fighting my chocolate addiction, which unfortunately is not controlled by the band. I knew from the start that was going to be a challenge.

And I'm finding it tempting to snack when I get hungry between meals, one of the things that defeats the band. So the challenge is to experiment with snacking more on the healthy stuff, and see if I can get full on apples etc, and maybe the craving for the junk will go away...

And I'm still wanting my beer and cheese, which do still go down easily, unfortunately. And I KNOW how easily that combo adds on the pounds.

I started feeling a little scared and despairing a few days, after first reading this thread (though I'm soooo appreciative for these posts! It's so helpful to hear from people dealing with similar struggles....not that I want you all to be struggling but...you know what I mean...)

So, after having a middle of the night panic attack about possible failure of the lapband, that it was all a waste of time and surgery, it occurred to me to (duh!) instead focus now on learning to use the "rules" to help me...eat the healthy food so I can feel full, then hopefully I won't want to snack as much, eat chocolate (as much), etc. The times this week that I've been eating regular meals with other people - meat, vegies, salad - I do fill up on much less than everyone else, although because of the need to chew so well, I'm still eating when they're done. So the band is working in that sense. Finally.

So, I'm trying to drill it into my consciousness: use the band to help me feel full, so it's easier to skip the Snacks and beer and chocolate. I'm hoping this will work.

This is very far from effortless, that's for sure. I just thought I'd get full quickly and stay feeling full and not want to eat anything for hours and hours. I do stay full longer, but not as long as I'd hoped.

Even if the lapband doesn't work for me in the long term, I don't know if I could face having the other gastric surgeries. Much as I envy the results weight-wise, they scare me too much. Another motivation for really trying to work with the lapband to make this approach work for me.

Maybe LapBand *AND* calorie counting????

[Malice X Girl 0]

Julie, I am so happy that you have restriction. Just a warning though, that throwing up is a way to slip the band so be careful.

[GettingHealthyAgain 1]

Julie, I am so happy that you have restriction. Just a warning though, that throwing up is a way to slip the band so be careful.

Thanks for the reminder! That does make it more challenging, though, when you get the golfball stuck in there, and it just isn't working its way through the little hole. I'd hate to have to walk around for hours with that feeling.

Hopefully I'll get better at knowing which foods will go down and which won't.

This definitely is not the easy path, is it?

[Iulizbug 0]

I am still working on that part (finding out which foods go down easily and which dont). My band is so fickle and changes in restriction from day to day....

~Liz~

03/10/06

241/168/160

5'7''

[HarleyNana 10]

I so agree with Vera, keep in mind, the band is a tool to assist in the weight loss. It will not do all the work, the bottom line is you have to make good choices.

Don't take me wrong, I don't always make the best choices either, but fortunately, my band-(tool) does help. It is amazing the junk goes down way too easily, (stay away from the cheese puffs), but as for me, I would probably be 50 lbs heavier than preband if I hadn't done something.

Reading all these responses has made me appreciate my band even more. I knew from the start RNY was not a choice for me and the weight and it would be a much slower process, but when I compare my health compared to those with RNY, I know I made the right decision for ME.

[Miper70 0]

Thanks for the reminder! That does make it more challenging, though, when you get the golfball stuck in there, and it just isn't working its way through the little hole. I'd hate to have to walk around for hours with that feeling.

Hopefully I'll get better at knowing which foods will go down and which won't.

This definitely is not the easy path, is it?

Try taking a very small sip of something warm to help it go down. I know you're not supposed to drink, but in my opinion it's better than throwing it up.