I was banded in April 2006, but to date I have only lost 30 lbs. My last fill was June '06 and restriction is NOT a problem. I don't seem to be able to get a handle on "good" foods. I get severe blockage on healthy stuff but chips, and other junk goes down just fine. In my head I know I should be following a better eating plan, but it is so furstrating. Should I go back to my surgeon andhave him take another look? Maybe my band is "broken". Before the lap band I tried everything to stick to a healthy regimen and could not. Perhaps I put too much stock in what the band could do. The surgery was self pay so you would think I could pull it together with all of the money I shelled out. I am feeling so helpless and hopeless. Any suggestions would be welcome!!

If the problem is doing a good eating plan we all need help with that sometimes - for you maybe weight watchers would help or if you have a lot of money you could have your food prepared for you. I ve tried diet to go in the past and they delivery 1200 + calories meals to your door. Also i just read on 3fatchicks.com another program that they reviewed and it sounded wonderful - again about 170.00/week so not cheap (you can check it on their website). If you don't like to cook - try a simple meal plan like a Protein Bar for Breakfast, cheese stick for snack, ww or lean cusines for lunch and even dinner if you have too. I make hard boiled eggs for Snacks, keep yogurt around cuz it's an easy snack and a few pieces of fruit. You really have to plan to have good food around. And heck you've lost even more weight than me and I've been banded longer and do things 'right' about 95% of the time. For me it's not the food but lack of consistent exercise.

If on the other hand you really can't eat healthy foods you could be too tight even with one fill. It's a miserable cycle but now with an unfill i can eat three bandster meals a day - good food and while i'm still not losing weight i feel better eating solids and not just Soup and Protein Shakes all the time.

good luck and start planning and shopping for good food you like!

First of all, 30 pounds in less than a year is not the end of the world. At that rate after 3 years you will have lost 100 pounds. In most circumstances that would be considered sensational. I would imagine it took you longer than 3 years to gain 100 pounds.

Having said that, it is also true that there is nothing the band can do for you if spend your days eating chips, ice cream and candy. If you expected the band would help even with that type of a diet, then you did not get very good information before you were banded. This is just the harsh reality.

All of us have had problems controlling our food choices, both in terms of menu selection and volume. So to answer your question, no, you are not the "only one." But to be successful with the band each of us must be willing to alter those bad food choices. There is no other answer. There is no shortcut. The band helps because it allows us to feel full on less. But the rest is up to us. If we are determined to find a way to fail, we can do that, even with the band.

I was banded in April 2006, but to date I have only lost 30 lbs. My last fill was June '06 and restriction is NOT a problem. I don't seem to be able to get a handle on "good" foods. I get severe blockage on healthy stuff but chips, and other junk goes down just fine.

I think you may be a touch too tight. I always remind my patients that if you are too tight it can lead to inadequate weight loss. Excessive tightness causes restriction to 'good foods.' Some patients who are too tight compensate by having high calorie foods. Tortilla chips is VERY common; chili, shakes, Soups are other common items.

I would probably consider taking some Fluid out. If you could feel better satisfaction and early satiety with 'good food' it would prbably help you.

Good luck.

That is so weird that you should say that..."commom foods" because my diet DOES consist of tortilla chips, chili and protien shakes. Solid foods such as broiled chicken, tuna, basically anything that doesnt melt in my mouth I have a very hard time eating. Thanks for the advice. I thought I was the only one.

Thank you for your post:clap2: ...I was just coming on here to write a post like this.

I know ice cream and chocolate are so bad for me, but I can't seem to stop having them when I know they don't make me sick.

On the other hand, give me a piece of broccoli and chicken, and I think I'm going to die. There are times I'm so sick I have to make myself throw up.

I'm scared of getting a slight unfill, because I don't want to go back to the land of no restriction again.

Glad to hear I'm not in the bad boat of junk food by myself!

Boy are we two peas in a pod. I had my bank in May of 06- havent lost that much weight and same with restrictions. I finally went back to the doc 2 weeks ago- I was thinking that maybe I stretched out my pouch or broke it too. My doc assured me all was fine- I had to have a fill by fluroscopy- because of difficulty getting the needle to go in- and when we saw the xray- all was ok- my doc just told me that the reason I hadn't really lost enough weight is because getting those fills are so important to get your restriction for your eating, he said that I will need to go in to get a fill at least 4 x's to be where so I can get on tract.---don't give up- I just started to get back on track and so can you- if you need to just email me- hang in there

Susan

Thank all of you for your responses. I have made an appointment to see the doctor for a "fill" or "unfill" I did not realize that being too tight could lead to over eating the wrong stuff. I haven't been back for a fill because I thought too much restirction was better than none. I will keep you guys posted. Thanks again for the advice

If you have restriction it isn't your band. I would go back to the nutritionist for a consult. It sounds like you are just eating the wrong foods. BTW, I'm down about 45 lbs since June and I consider myself a slow loser as well. Good luck to you.

Listen to Dr. C. I was going to say the same thing.... if you can't eat solid Protein, you are probably too tight. Better to be able to eat more of the right foods than to be able to only the wrong stuff.

Yes - go to your doc - have him check the band and take a smidge of saline out... and don't forget to CHEW.

Hugs!

I am so very glad that I read your post.I have not been on here since September because I felt I was the only one not losing weight after taking such a huge step just to lose weight.I was banded in March 06 and have only lost about 30 pounds myself its very discouraging I feel your pain.You got alot of great responses and I think one of them might help me with my problem also.I think I might be to tight because I have a very hard time eating.I would love to have a chicken breast right now,yeah right I wouldn't even be able to get one bite down.So tomorrow I am calling my doctor to possibly get a little taken out.Thank You so very much I hope this helps. Jen

why would tortilla chips be easier to eat then chicken breast? do you think its because we chew them more? I'm actually going in to get a fill in just a couple of hours and now I'm so confused! I'm beginning to wonder if I'm too tight... I don't think so because last night for supper I ate chicken breast - cooked in the crockpot - mashed potatoes and gr.beans - then I snacked all evening. I'm throwing the tortilla chips out today! I always have them because dh loves salsa and chips and I think - thought -they were better then potato chips.

Wow, I thought I was the only one. I was banded in June of 2006 and I can it seems that I can easily eat junk but for the good stuff I have a hard time no matter how much I chew. Doesn't make sense. I have not had a fill at all so I know it can't be too tight. It makes me wonder if I should. Bad news.... I have gained about 15lbs of the 52lbs I had lost. I am so dang disappointed. This was good to see other comments.

the first thing I was going to say was that it sounds like you are too tight, i know it does not seem to make sense but being too tight does lead to inadequate weightloss- been there done that. go back see you fill doctor, see you dietcian for an update- at least temporaily go back to weighing and measuring all foods etc, follow the band rules, jounral everything you eat- the back to basic approach for a while helps make you more aware of where your problems are, what time of day even- then if needed the dietiican can halep you

I am born again bandster- had gained weight ++, faced losing band, was unflled of months then even beforehaving a re fll I went back to basis starting losng weght, now have Fluid in band and have lost around 67 pounds since nov 06

I'm also a slow looser, 25 lbs since 7/06. 2 other women I know that had it done the same time I did are down 60 and 80 lbs. I have 4.3 cc in my Inamed band. I kept thinking it wasn't tight enough and that's why I wasn't loosing, so I kept getting fills. Now I think it is the right amount and these posts have helped me decide what to do next. I'm the same way as you all and I'm so glad I found you. After every fill, aprox 7 or 8 this far, I would loose the first 2 weeks and then nothing. I can get good food down still, but it's usually hard getting started. After the first 2 or 3 bites go down I'm good to go. However, I am getting used to eating COLD food. Sometimes it takes 15 minutes to get the first couple of bites down.

This site has been a hugh help to me for the past year now. I never fail to get my band problems figured out when I come here.

Today I did something I haven't been able to do in 3 years. Yardwork. It was impossible for me to do until this spring.

You all hang in there because we are going to get this thing figured out!!! If others can do it so can we.

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I am glad I stumbled onto this site. I was banded 10/06 and I lost 10 lbs the first 3 weeks, but that is because I was on liquids the whole time. I have had 3 fills so far and I definitely have restriction, but I am gaining weight! I have been BPing a lot in the past few days, but after reading this site, I think I am just swollen and need to do liquids for the next day or two. A big problem I have is that sometimes I can eat certain foods with no problem, but the next time, I can't. I don't understand this. Also, after having food stuck, I am paranoid about it happening, so after every bite, I drink a little water to help it go through. I know this is breaking the "no drinking with meals" rule, but it is so painful when stuck. Also, I think my band is tighter in the evenings than in the morning. Does anyone else have this problem?