I got banded March 2013. While I rapidly lost 34 lbs., I gained about 20 back. I've had a bunch of fills with the band now being 75% full. I don't know why I'm always hungry. I know I need to be more consistent at the gym but should I go back to the basics and do liquids and soft foods like when I first had surgery??? I'm beyond frustrated.

i wish i had the magic bullet to give you so everything would be okay. i don't. my advise. seek professional help. we are all mental food junkies. we eat because of our attachment to food. perhaps talking with someone who can help you find out the reason you think about food like you do would be helpful. a counseler would give you little tricks, to conquer some of those brain craziness. i think you know that because you can eat more or eat something doesn't mean you should. perhaps going back to measuring and weighing and logging your food might be helpful. good luck to you i hope the best for you.

I know what you mean and I think I will go and get a jump start on the right track by drinking a lot of liquids, the shakes, soft foods and measuring like you mentioned. I guess it's a matter of getting back to the basics. Thanks for the reply!!!

Seek out your nutritionist. They can help you.

Edited January 4, 201412 yr by 2muchfun

I'm going to first thing Monday. She's great, I know she'll be able to help. Thanks for the reply!!!

It seems there are always whose amount of saline in theory band is different from what they believed it to be....

I know a person who has had over 10 fills...but her Dr. only does .5cc per fill...so it is only 5cc's...something I had after 2 fills....

She is always complaining about how the band does not work and wants it out!

Also, you say 75% full? How much is that, in what size band?

This band DOES WORK....it CAN be a Magic Bullet for some, it sure has been, and still is for me....BUT it took some adjusting and getting used to...co-operation between me and the band, to get to that place....

When someone says there band is tight, and they can still eat and gain weight, then I disagree...if your band is tight, it would be IMPOSSIBLE to eat....THEN the Dr. would have to back it off a bit to find your comfort zone...

My Dr., on every visit, pulls out all of the saline into a syringe, where he can measure it and check it's clarity, etc...and compare it to what his notes say is supposed to be there from last visit....then there is no quessing...he then replaces the same amount with fresh saline.

Well, being hungry has nothing to do with why I eat. Actually, I am hardly ever physically hungry. I eat things I shouldn't because I love food...it's makes me feel good. I like the feeling of being full way more than being hungry...empty! There are times when we have more motivation and strength to make the right choices and there are times when we aren't. Tomorrow is a new day, sending positive thoughts and hopes for good choices and a new start!

Well, being hungry has nothing to do with why I eat. Actually, I am hardly ever physically hungry. I eat things I shouldn't because I love food...it's makes me feel good. I like the feeling of being full way more than being hungry...empty! There are times when we have more motivation and strength to make the right choices and there are times when we aren't. Tomorrow is a new day, sending positive thoughts and hopes for good choices and a new start!

I agree 100%. I am in the green zone, and during these last few weeks of "holiday eating", I've pushed hard right past ALL the signals; band AND plication. Was I able to eat the same as pre-band, no....I was not. But at times, I certainly chose to ignore the signals and pain, in order to fill my mental/emotional need to eat. I've done very well since surgery, but I'm hardly a "model band citizen". But what I have gotten a LOT better at since surgery, is hopping right back on the band wagon.

IMHO, any WLS takes a tremendous amount of motivation. The surgery doesn't take care of the "need" to eat all by itself. You will never find one post of mine over the past 10 months, where I say "I'm cured and will never gain weight again". After 58 years of dealing with this curse, other than death, I know I will never be cured. But with this "tool", I finally have a fighting chance of staying on track, or getting back on track when I've overdone it.

Edited January 4, 201412 yr by mrsto

When I go to the doctor, usually I see the physician assistant/ nurse practitioner. She will only add 1cc or take however much out that you want or she feels is necessary. The doctor himself wants me to drink that substance so that he can see where the band is and weather or not he has to fix it to get me to the right setting etc. I am definitely going to talk to the nutritionist though. Thanks for the reply!!!

B52 the band does not always work at controlling hunger. There is a certain amount of people that do not get hunger relief from the band no matter how much they have in it. It doesn't work for 100% of the people 100% of the time. You can't say that it will work because that is just not true. It does not ALWAYS control hunger and the amounts of food a person is able to eat.

Edited January 4, 201412 yr by cheryl2586

Speaking for myself...an no one else...the band controls my hunger.....it also limits the amount of food I can consume....

For me...that is what the Green Zone is....

If a person has had their band adjusted to a certain degree, it MUST do something...it cannot do nothing....why else would we get the surgery???

I don't see the logic to go through all this surgery, and $$, and not expect the band to do anything....

I will also say...as for myself...as long as the band remains as it is...I will not gain weight ever again...it is physically impossible, without doing some major harm....

Other pay may make their declaration...that is mine...and I cannot be happier with it...I'm not saying everyone NEEDS to be where I am...I'm simply saying to every testimony out there...mine is yet another one...

Edited January 4, 201412 yr by B-52

This all works fine for you and only you. The band has NEVER controlled my hunger EVER. I can also say that if I want to I CAN eat as much as I want but I don't. The thing you don't understand is the band works differently for everyone and unless your band is totally closed off so that nothing can pass through it then yes you could physically eat as much as you want. It may take you more time then it did preband or now but over the course of some hours yes you could eat a big plate of food. This is what people mean when they say I can out eat my band. Can I eat it all at once? NO but I can. I can eat just like I did preband if it takes me all day that is what you are not understanding. My band is properly adjusted for me. I can't take anymore then what is in it at 3cc's or I would not be able to eat at all but I can eat all I want on any given day even if it takes me all day to do it. But I don't. I measure out what I am supposed to eat and that is all I eat. It never has controlled my hunger from the beginning. What works for you does not always work for everyone else. You base your facts on what it does for you and generalize it what it should be doing for everyone else. I am not trying to argue but the band does not do for everyone what it does for you.

While I do agree with both of you, yes the band will work differently for everyone. I have the Realize Band, the newer one. It is very good but I can turn around, knowing me and become very hungry sometimes even with it 75% full ( I forgot how many cc's that is). I'm going to go back to the basics/ beginning for now until I go January 15th to drink that contrast drink so the doc can see the position of my band. Sometimes I just get so hungry and I can't over eat or not chew completely or I will vomit.