I read a lot of people's threads that are having the same problem as me. It's not that we expected a magic cure when we got banded. We did expect to lose weight though.

I lost 22 lbs while I was on liquids for 4 weeks, and have lost nothing since then. I had a fill at 6 weeks which did absolutely nothing. It's a daily battle to keep off the 22 I lost. I try to make the right choices , I drink a lot of Water, I exercise all the time, but as soon as one little temptation gets put under my nose, I gain 1-5 lbs back and it's a stuggle to get back down to the 22 lost.

I have heard it takes several fills to start feeling like the band is working. I have also heard people say they don't feel the same way about food as they used to. When does that happen? When do you stop craving the things that we aren't supposed to have? Is this just going to be the same old life, watching other people eat what we want, with our bands around our stomach wishing we could have some too?:angry

Thanks, any encouragement you can offer would sure make my day. I am extremely discouraged.

Hang in there. I just got my 2nd fill and I now know what everyone is talking about. I was afraid it wasn't going to work for me. Get another fill as soon as you can, be patient. I felt the exact same way. Your band isn't working yet. I finally feel free of the hold that food had on me.

Jack,,lol,,,if you're not a published author,,,you SHOULD BE!!!!!

I read your posts and say,,,,YEAHHHHHHHHH,,,that's exactly how it feels! It's through reading everyone's posts that I discover I"m "normal". DOes that make any sense? LOL Thanks again everyone~

Banded 1/29/07

Dr. Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

331/297/150

no fill todate

re: "Is this just going to be the same old life, watching other people eat what we want, with our bands around our stomach wishing we could have some too?"

that certainly IS NOT what my own experience has been....

for the first time in my entire life, I feel LIBERATED from even wanting some of what 'everybody else' is having....I could not care less....

It is a sense of FREEDOM for me, to not be imprisoned by my own grinding compulsion to eateateatEatEatEatEATEATEAT!!!!

re: "It's a daily battle to keep off the 22 I lost."

The battle I face, is the allowing my own habits reinstate themselves...in spite of having NO DESIRE to eat, consume, or in any way shove stuff down my own throat even against my own desires....

I -HAVE- no hunger like preBand....my entire day preBand was like a shark that has to swim forward for Water to oxygenate its gills....I HAD to waddle forward so my alimentary canal could surround and swallow whole like those great monster snakes crawling forward over a pig carcass they could not chew or throw up, just keep swallowing until the entire creature was inside my digestive track....

I had the perfect freedom today, of getting back home and sitting with a delightful mild hunger which steadily and slowly grew bit-by-bit....over 90 minutes....to the point where it WAS dinner time..

Instead of running in to the binkietrashfood stash......I enjoyed the onset and pleasurable flowering of actual hunger...which after 6 fish sticks, 1/2 cup home raised green Beans, and a little yogurt....has been SATIATED!!!!

This is a Non scale Victory for me.....a little hunger, slowly growing, and which vanished after a Normo amount of food!!!

I am ecstatic the Band IS working for me....it takes a while to understand what it tells me...

Hope you can find the song your Band is trying to sing....

I was just banded on Tuesday, March 20th, and have been reading almost everything on this site and have to thank you Jack because you always encourage me.

Reesh

Thanks everyrone. I guess I just have a little while longer to wait for the second fill. He better put some in there too, because I am sick of this. I want to experience what everyone talks about. Restriction!

Jack, you put it so aptly.

Denise- How are you doing now?? Have you had another fill?? More restriction???

I was banded last Tuesday. Prior to banding I followed the diet to the letter and post-op have been equally stringent. My concern is the inability to consume more than a couple table spoons of liquid before experiencing what can be described as a lump in my throat just below my adams apple. Is this where things back up? Does this pass or can my band be adjusted? When installed do they add some saline?

In two days I go to full liquid, but what if I still can only handle a couple of tablespoons of Soup?

Today I have a low grade headache, nothing even worth medication but I worry that it's from a lack of something nutritional, or is all this normal and expected to pass?

phatphill,

you're still healing. Give it some time, and eat and drink slowly with small bites and sips.

You should look into getting a Protein based drink in you. Many recommend Isopure, usually found in health food stores.

Good luck.

I've been banded for over 2 years, lost a little over 50 lbs, (depends on the day), but I'm happy where I am, if I lose a little more, great, if I don't ..fine. My goal was to be a size 12, not pounds, so we each have different goals and we're all different weights.

Good luck and give it time.

Phil-

You are still healing as Libra said. There is still post-op swelling, so you won't be able to consume much-even liquids. Some doctors put fluid in the band at the time of surgery, but usually they don't. The tightness you feel is swelling and gas. You are probably lightheaded from the remnants of anesthesia as well as the lack of protein. It will pass. Just relax and follow doctor's orders and stay in touch with your surgeon. Take some liquid Tylenol and rest.

Her story sounds like my own and I too am so discouraged I often think about having my band removed. I have been banded over a year now and have lost 21 pounds during the pre surgury Liquid phase. I am following all the rules..lots of water ,exercise, protiene first...chew till gew no drinking while eating..ect ect. I have had 2 fills the first one I was WAY too tight and got deathly sick with..the second one he under filled me to recover from the over fill. My Dr no longer is a medicare provider so I am looking for a new Dr here in Orlando any suggestions welcome with the exception of Dr Beltre in Altamonte. I need help with my band I know I am not too tight because I feel no restriction..can eat alot and am hungry again soon after. I PB all the time and I can barely eat anything without it coming back up..reflux minus the acid..I slime constantly I have to keep a cup with me just for that! You would think all this alone would cause me to lose some weight but it has not! I have turned to high calorie soft foods to take away my hunger and medicate myself. I thought this band was going to help me finaly gain control of my weight problem instead I think things are worse! Sorry did not mean to bum everybody out. I have not posted in a long time and i just needed to vent....Thanks

Hi Denise, hang in there girl. I didn't have the right restriction until fill #5. I have finally had good restriction for about 6 weeks now. You will be fine once you start up with your fills again. It is hard to count calories when you are always hungry. Good luck.