Hi everyone! My name is Melissa. I was banded by Dr. Zapata in Monterrey, Mexico back in the spring of 2010. This is a bit long, but I gotta get it out... Maybe it'll help people who end up in my situation. Who knows?

Unfortunately, I went into the surgery with a HORRIBLE attitude. I just sat back and expected my band to do ALL of the work for me without me actually making any changes. If I ate too much or too fast, I just threw it up. No big deal, right? Of course... I wouldn't even admit that to myself. I for the LIFE of me couldn't figure out why I was sick EVERY SINGLE TIME I ATE!

In spite of all of that, I DID manage to lose about 60 pounds, but... Because of the vomiting (that again, I just couldn't make sense of) my band was ultimately drained and I was diagnosed with gall stones and had my gall bladder removed to help with the constant sickness. Lo and behold, I had my gall bladder removed last Thanksgiving (2013) and the vomiting didn't even slow down. Stress made it worse. I'm currently in nursing school and I WAY know about stress.

We had finals a couple of weeks ago and I couldn't focus to study because I was literally throwing up everything I put in my mouth. So... To try to take my mind off of my stomach pain and puking, I switched myself to a liquid diet. That lasted from Saturday night until my final Wednesday morning. Amazingly, I felt a lot better. I wasn't throwing up. My constant sinus pain-- apparently the result of reflux while I was sleeping that was burning my sinus cavity-- vanished. I DID NOT DO THE liquid diet FOR WEIGHT LOSS. Remember? I was in denial. My band was just broken. It did nothing. Who the heck knew why I always threw up? Maybe I had stomach cancer... (LOL I swear I'm not usually so melodramatic)

When I started eating solids again, I was reluctant. I felt a lot better and was kinda sad to think I'd be giving it up. So I did was professional students do. I researched. Guess what? People who don't respect their WLS and don't change their habits tend to have the issues I was having. A more. And giving my banded stomach time to heal with no puking allowed my band to actually make its presence known. So, I figured what the heck...

I started back like I had just had surgery. Soft foods eaten slowly. No drinking with meals. Smart food choices. You know.... All the stuff I was meant to do the FIRST TIME around. And holy crap, it's like I've actually had WLS. Even with an unfilled band. I have restriction. I'm content with a cup to a cup and a half of food. I haven't thrown up in weeks. I've lost 20 pounds. Head hunger exists. I don't like it, but I can cope. Because dang it, I paid for this surgery and even if it was 4 years ago I'm gonna get my money's worth!

So, that's where I stand. That's my story. And I'm back. And this time, dang it, I'm gonna do it right!

~ Melissa ~

I use My Fitness Pal on my iPhone to count calories. I'm eating NOTHING compared to before! LOL I don't even even want to THINK about how many I was eating before. *shudder*

I started yoga this past Monday (geeeeez I'm weak!) and started using my elliptical again today (I was SO sweaty after just 15 minutes!)

Have you thought about the 5:2 diet to help break your plateau? You can go to YouTube and look it up it's pretty interesting that works for me.

Hi I was banded in 09 and lost 65lbs. I have gained back 10 in the last 6 months. I too was struggling with regurgitating part of my meals. I found I was so hungry headed that my first few bites were the culprit to the being stuck mode. I too thought no big deal till I found I was getting low on energy and hungry all the time. So I went and had my band unfilled part way so maybe it was slipped and needed to re-settle. So with being open I had a few items like bread and gained another 10. I got re-filled with a .50cc less this time and got back to following the "rules' of the band. I believe sometime we need that refresher to get back to our journey we had started. thank you for sharing and it's good to know there is a lot of us in the same boat. Today I am down the 5.5 llbs gain and excited to finish this journey.

Good luck everyone and let's finish this strong!!!

I did not have the best week (8/11-8/16). We celebrated my oldest daughter's 25th birthday on Monday. We went out to dinner and I allowed myself to have a small portion of noodles and rice at her favorite restaurant. We came home to cream cheese and pecan frosted birthday cake. I had a small piece the first day, but during the week, I had a couple more slices.

Friday we had Family Game night to enjoy the evening with my youngest daughter before we took her back to her college campus. I made her favorite sliders and of course I ate a couple. Needless to say, I gained 2 pounds.

Thank God for starting over! I am back on track and hoping to see the scale move in the right direction for a while.

The support of this group is the reason I have not thrown in the towel. Melissa, thanks once again for sharing your story. We all struggle, but it is good to know that through the journey, if we remain focused we will reach our goals.

Haha! I'm glad I'm inspirational I'm still plugging away-- very aware of my rules and my body's needs. The weight isn't falling off like I was praying for it to, but it IS coming off. I guess a 1-2 pound loss per week at this stage of the game is perfectly acceptable. LOL Course, I always think faster is better!

I am so glad I found this group. I had my band surgery in Sept 2011 and lost 62 lbs. The last few months I have let "life" get in the way and I have regained some. I was told to go back to the basics but never really understood what that means. I have been told it means to go back to liquids for a week then eat Protein and veggies and no carbs. I was also told to eat whatever but don't go over 1200 calories. I am so confused. I am going to read every post in this group and see if I can get a definite answer on how to lose weight again.

Lisa

Txdiva

Best of luck on your journey.

This forum is nice to see different ways people travel down WLS life. Seems to be a common thread about protein ,water, exercise and making appt. to see your doctor.

I like that these things are long term goals and not the old yoyo diets we mostly were on/ off before. I'm convinced on/off drastic dieting without support confuses our body and does not make it behave correctly.... weight wise.

Just my opinion. But I don't want to ever go back to pre band and the struggle and hunger for YEARS.

FYI. Banded 12/06. Happy. Healthy imperfect me!

Well hello, Texas ladies! I was over filled 3 months ago. I didn't say anything bc I was finally losing. 10. Pounds a month. Steady. BUT I paid the price. Vomiting and sliming and choking on my own spit through the night. They ended up un filing me 2 weeks ago and I have been on mostly mush, except for the delish prime rib I ate yesterday. Since the un fill I haven't vomited once nor have. I had any sliming. Scared to get on the scale. Guess I will see it on Monday. The x ray showed an enlarged stoma and the band was starting to slip to 2-3 o clock position. I am praying. That. Come Monday it's back in its original 1 o clock position. I have a very hectic life, and I do not make good food choices. I hate chicken breast. And I love ranch dressing. And i am from NOLA with 2 years in culinary school. I am a foodie! This is very hard for me. It was easier when I was vomiting and losing. But since that is not the way this is supposed to work, I. Have to start over as well. If I. Can get. In the green zone, lose steadily, and not vomit, I would be happy. But it seems that the losing is paired with the vomiting. What are your thoughts on this? I know there is a happy place.

@bluegudren. Thank you for your honesty. It's hard to make good food choices and I find myself struggling with eating too much too fast and the wrong types of food. You'd think that 80 pounds in I would be easily making correct choices all the time but no. I hope you get this nipped in the bud. I don't want band problems. I needed to read your post today. Stay strong.

Melissa what a WONDERFUL post... thank you so much for sharing.

I host several coffee groups a month and so many times I hear people blame the band and figure it's too late to start over.

Can I have your permission to show your post to my group? I'm sure they will find it very motivational.

Thank you for sharing and congratulations for getting back on the "band-wagon"!!!

Tom, Toronto

Banded: July 6 06

Wt. Loss: 160 lbs

@SandyM. I have friends that can't stop talking about the 5:2!!!! How is it working for you? Sounds a lot like Isagenix??

@SandyM. I have friends that can't stop talking about the 5:2!!!! How is it working for you? Sounds a lot like Isagenix??

I do it different than most instructions say. I have a small amt calories at lunch (like a Greek yogurt) and the rest at dinner. I've done it 2 weeks and lost 3 lbs. I had plateaued for 2 months prior to this and it broke the plateau. I really did it more for maintenance than anything.

Of course! I hope it helps someone else "get it" before struggling for years like me!

Melissa what a WONDERFUL post... thank you so much for sharing.

I host several coffee groups a month and so many times I hear people blame the band and figure it's too late to start over.

Can I have your permission to show your post to my group? I'm sure they will find it very motivational.

Thank you for sharing and congratulations for getting back on the "band-wagon"!!!

Tom, Toronto

Banded: July 6 06

Wt. Loss: 160 lbs

Thanks very much!!

Tom, Toronto

Banded July 6 06

Wt. Loss: 160 lbs

Hello I have been looking for a post just like this I've been banded for three years and I've been struggling I always think the band doesn't work but it's a tool I have to work with. I never was a person that throw up a lot but I just never saw my scale move much a total of 50 lost and gained 25 back . Please tell me what and how you got back on track Please help me