There are some points during the day when I have so much restriction I can't swollow anything no matter what consistancy it is. There are other points in the day when I have no restriction whatsoever and it's as if I never even had the surgery. This is so frustrating and I have given up on my weight loss journey because this surgery that was supposed to help me has only made things more difficult! I want to do a band to sleeve revision however I have only had the band for 9 1/2 months. I don't know what to do. I am also unable to see my surgeon at the moment.

Hi Wendy,

I just wanted to let you know, you are not alone.

I have been my biggest obstacle . What I mean is, I was so mentally programmed into eating the old way, that I really fought with the band. I was so stuck mentally into telling it what I thought I needed, instead of listening. I've caused myself much mental angst, that alone could have been part of the band feeling tight. Most of my over eating pre band was due to trying to stuff my feelings, feeling anxious? Eat, sad? Eat, angry?, eat, happy? Eat, bored? Eat.

My mental habits didn't change. I've recently had an aha! Moment, but, it's taken 1 yr and 6 mo, to realize one simple thing. Listen to the band tell me what it wants and needs. Not my head.

I hope you find not only your green zone, but your own aha moment as well.

Hugs!

Hi Wendy, I don't know if this will help but I have pasted the Simpson and O'Brien links into my signature below. Rereading/watching those at intervals has been really good for me. I only have one rule for myself, Eat when I'm hungry and don't eat if I'm not hungry (is that two rules?). I have eliminated "I should eat" from my thinking -- a lot of old dieter's programming -- and I don't believe in the body starving, etc. It tells me when I'm hungry. That said, I still have to fight the grazing in the evenings, the temptation to save up calories for that etc. We all fight our own battles and it really is a head game. Like Kitt, my band tightens wih stress. And if it's tight there's nothing doing -- if I fight it I'll be sorry. I hope you can get in to see your surgeon. Is there any possibility you bypassed green and are in the red zone?

"I can't swollow anything no matter what consistancy it is"

Does this include Water, shakes, cream Soups, applesauce?

Wendy - I'm the same way. Just another f'ing diet.

I'm sorry to hear this. I'm still finding my way but I think I've found my green zone. I will tell you that makes ALL the difference. Can you try to get a fill under fluoro soon? Like mentioned above, I had to learn to obey my band. I love pork chops. My band does not. I had to give them up. I tried to force it but the band won.

As I'm closer to/at my green zone, my eating has had to be more thoughtful, slow and obedient to my band. I still want to wolf my first bites down when I'm hungry. This is disaster for me now. It wasn't that way two months ago. But I have more fill in my band and an unchewed bite of meat or chewing my second bite before the first one has even started its way down is a recipe for getting stuck. Again, this didn't happen two months ago.

I rest my band twice a week with a single 500 calorie meal on Mondays and Thursdays. It's not for everyone but it broke some bad habits for me that I was doing.

One thing I don't feel restriction on is salads and soups. I can eat those for an hour and not get filled to satiety. So I choose to have those rarely now. I like them but I want to lose weight and I want to feel the band tell me to stop.

Please talk to your team about how and what you're eating before you give up on your band. Maybe it's just some habit changes that are needed. We worked too hard for this tool to toss it out unless it's the last resort.

I haven't looked at Bandista's links yet but she always has good advice. So I'll check those out at home later.

Good luck. You're worth success. I hope you find it!

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Edited October 9, 201411 yr by JustWatchMe

I'm sorry you're struggling so much. I agree with the others though that the best thing is probably to find a way to see your surgeon and talk to him about it. It may be that you need more/less fill to be in the green zone. Or, it may be the types of foods you're eating or some other habits that can be changed. I know that, for me, my surgeon and the support I've gotten from him throughout this process has been the key to my success. There have been so many things along the way that I was doing or eating that were potential road blocks to my success but he was able to coach & counsel me on those things, helping me to identify them and helping to find alternatives that work better with the band.

This is just so frustrating. I'm thinking about doing the 5 day pouch test.