well, i have restriction. quite a bit of it actually, but not too much. i would dare say i'm at my 'sweet spot'. and yet... i have not lost a single pound since my surgery in february. i exercise, i'm properly filled.

i had such high hopes for my lapband. i researched until my peepers ached. i follow the bandster rules. i don't eat around my band.

i don't think i can stand the disappointment that i see in my husband and mom's eyes any more. i used to turn to food for my emotional pain... but now that just causes me to get stuck. so i started drinking. that's awfully cute.

i got a text message i sent myself after my surgery (i scheduled it to be sent 5 months after the surgery) a few days ago and it said 'i bet you are doing great! how much have you lost?' i cried for a few hours.

if i had the band removed tomorrow, i know i would gain a freakish amount of weight. so at least i'm greatful i'm not gaining weight. *sighs* the band is useful for something, i guess.

That text message must have been heartbreaking. Have you had your thyroid hormones and blood sugar levels checked? Maybe there is an underlying problem.

Silry

Don't know much about the band... I am going to have mine on Aug 1.. I think you you are following all the rules... You need to talk to your doctor or nutricionist. May there is some kind of problem. The drink is not the answer.....

Best of luck...

KYgirl

That text message must have been heartbreaking. Have you had your thyroid hormones and blood sugar levels checked? Maybe there is an underlying problem.

i went to the doctor a couple of months ago and they wouldn't check any of that for me - said they didn't cover weight issues and/or pre-existing conditions. grrr. my husband got a new job and when our new ins kicks in, i'm going to give it another go. he's now employeed at a company that offers the best insurance in town, next to the culinary union. so i'm hoping...

Thyroid isn't just weight related. Do you have any other odd symptoms? tired or sleepy all the time? Hungry more than normal? Cranky? Those are the signs of thyroid issues. I don't know much about blood sugar, but I know you can buy a test kit pretty cheap and check it yourself. There was a bandster here a while ago that had a tumor (cushings disease) look it up and check the symptoms of that too. Her screen name is Vinesqueen, do a search for her and read about her issues, she was banded and had problems losing weight. It was due to the cushings, there are treatments for that too. Don't give up, the best part of all of this is the band will be there when you figure out what is going on. Hang in there, it will get better. ~Mandy

alcohol is fairly high in calories.

I am sorry...

<p>Silry! Don't be so hard on yourself! You are still doing great, and look at all the weight you've lost so far! I was banded in January and have only lost 30 lbs - 20 since surgery. I have a flipped port so I have only had one small fill... Yes, I am discouraged, but I am still optimistic! Keep your chin up, maybe start an account on FitDay and see how much of/ and what you are eating. Logging my food intake is really a wake up call sometimes and it helps you stay on track.. and I've missed about two weeks now and I can tell. The scale is not moving! Good Luck!!</p>

I'm so sorry that you are feeling so down. It must be incredibly frustrating to be stuck at 13lbs. I know you don't want to hear this but maybe take a really deep look at what you're doing.

Are you tracking your calories on FitDay or thedailyplate? Let me tell you, that was a HUGE eye opener for me. I figured I was averaging 500-600 cals when I started mushies but I was over 1000. Also, how much exercise are you doing? Every day? Are you lifting weights (ie building muscle that weighs more than fat?). If you can honestly look at yourself in the mirror and say I'm doing everything right, then you need to see your doctor for some tests.

You'll break this plateu eventually, just try to be patient. Easier said than done, I know. But think about the weight you could have gained without this band. Isn't better to be 197 than to be 210?

Keep us updated with your progress. I hope you break this stalemate soon!

I've heard that a margerita can have up to 800 calories in a single serving. Drinking is very high calorie.

You have lost weight. Maybe not the amount you were hoping for but you have lost. Everyone is different. When you husband's ins kicks in, get to a doctor and have a complete blood workup done. I'm sorry you are having trouble but try to keep an open, upbeat mind. It'll come.

I feel compassion for your situation but I feel like I need to make a few comments that may not be purely in the category of hugs and support.

The first thing I want to comment about is the drinking. There are about 65 calories in an ounce of vodka or whiskey, and that does not count the mixers. The average beer has about 144 calories. When you say that you are not "eating around the band" are you counting those calories?

Barring some sort of a medical condition weight loss is about calories in vs. calories used. Period. If you are following all the bandster rules and exercising, you should be losing weight. If you are not, then you are either taking in more calories than you are admitting to yourself or you have a medical condition that needs attention. The odds are, though, that you not someone who simply defies the laws of physics and biology and gains weight even though you are actually dieting and exercising.

As others have suggested in this thread, there is a good chance that you are not following the bandster rules quite to the degree you think you are, and that this is the root cause of this problem. That does not make you a bad person. We all mess up on the bandster rules at times. The problem comes in when you are not able to see that this is happening. If you truly believe that you are following all the rules, when in fact you are not, this can lead to a frozen position that does not allow you to find a solution. It can make you feel crazy, like you are some sort of freak of nature who is born to fail no matter what you do. But it is much more likely that the problem is that you are taking in more calories than you realize.

Alcohol is a depressant. It's the last thing you need right now. It can even do things like cause you to see "disappointment" in the eyes of your family that is not really in their eyes, but is really in your own view of yourself.

You are only five months into this thing. It is way to early to decide you are a failure. You've lost 13 pounds and also you have avoided gaining lord knows how many more. You can view that as a failure if you want to, but in many ways it is a success, especially for the first five months. Think where you would probably be without the band?

If you continue to focus on failure, alcohol and self-pity you will just generate more of the same. I say get a grip, be honest about what is really happening here in terms of calorie consumption, go to the doctor if you need to, take responsibility for your self, and find a solution. These things are not easy to do, but there is just no other way.

Well said Mark and I totally agree. I stalled out a few months ago for about 6 weeks (seems like longer). It stopped when I started writing down all my food/drink intake and counting calories. I stopped doing that a few weeks ago and, I'm stalled out again. Need to get with it.

Start writing it ALLLL down. Stop doing liquids and eat solids, except for the 64 minimum oz of Water. Water really does help.

Shawn

Mark, you are so on the money there. Great post, I couldn't have said it better.

EXCELLENT post, Mark!

Thank you for the swift kick in the pants I have been needing Mark!!! Your post spoke to me . . . .

Silry, are you getting enough protein and water? I notice that when I am getting in at least 60 grams of proteins and 80 oz of water that is when I lose the most. At least a pound a week. Sometimes it's not just about the quantity of the calories that we are getting in but also the quality.