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!!

I too, have issues with eating the "good "food. I can eat Cheetohs like there's no tomorrow, but sometimes even ground up meat gets me clogged. I did go back to my surgeon who 1) refused to fill me any more and 2) refused to entertain a switch to an RNY. His reasoning is that if I am not behaving with a band, then I will not behave with an RNY. I need to get a handle on my eating and I don't know how. I have gone online to an Overeaters Anonymous meeting (very confusing and foreign to me) and I have joined WW a hundred and ten times at least in my life. Any suggestions??:help:

My last post on this thread was 3/14, I went in for my 3rd fill that day, 2 weeks later I was in for my 4th. I finally have a good fill and feel like the band is working. I know its hard but you have to throw out the cheetos, tortilla chips and anything else in the cupboard that is working against you. With this fill I am able to make healthy choices, eat that and be satisfied.

I just had a conversation with my sister yesterday who said she wished she could get the band but she'll just have to do it the "hard" way. Boy did that tick me off! I told her the band isn't easy, I - yes, I - have to make good food choices bc chips and candy, cakes and sweets all seem to go down easy. Good foods are the ones that I have to work on. Just bc you have a band doesn't mean you suddenly no longer enjoy all the good foods you always have. Now I still enjoy the good foods, but I pick the healthier foods first and thankfully with this fill they are satisfying.

Nurse - my suggestion is that you try to choose the healthier foods first, solids and see how it works - get rid of the cheetos and try to follow the bandster rules - journal - if its still not working take your journal into the dr and show him that you need a fill. But you have to be honest with it, if you are choosing cheetos over an apple I would have to side with the dr.

You are not alone. I was in the exact same boat. I had my surgery a year and a half ago. I too can only eat junk. The only healthy thing I can eat is can tuna with a large amount of mayo. For the first year I only had lost 25 lbs. Then I had a tumor on my ovary which caused it to rupture. I had emergency surgery. Shortly after that I lost almost 65 lbs in 7 months. You might wanna go have a full check up with your doctor and make sure you dont have anything else going on. Hormones can really mess you up if they are not in good balance.

I only scanned these posts so I may be off base, but have you guys considered less of a fill? If it's too hard to eat the right/difficult foods, and only the easy stuff goes down, you'll certainly eat the easy stuff rather than starve to death! How about a fresh start with a bit less fill and a new resolve?

Tortilla chips are easy to eat because they crumble into tiny little pieces, making it easy to move from the upper pouch, past the band, and into the lower portion of the stomach.

Imagine putting tortilla chips in Water, too--they'd turn soft, and mushy.

Put chicken in water, and it stays firm and meaty.

That's why it's easier to eat chips than chicken.