You are such a wonderful community. I have been reading for over a year but was too nervous to post. Now I am desperate & finally have the courage to ask for help. I have never had success with losing weight in all af my 45 years. despite healthy eating & frantic exercise. 2 years ago I had a heart attack and flatlined. I vowed to get this extra 90lbs off whatever it took. Had the labband June 06 and to date I have lost about 30lbs. Since Dec 06 I have not lost any despite 3 fills. My doc keeps saying it takes some people longer to get to the sweet spot but at $210.00 a fill I can't really afford to keep going almost every month. (Which is pretty much what I was doing since surgery). I have lost all hope and haven't been back for a fill since March 07. I keep gaining the same 3lbs on & off and this has been happening since Dec 06. regardless of what I do or don't eat. I would love to embrace life since I have been given a 2nd chance but this excess weight is not coming off & I have lost faith in my dr & no other dr will take me since they didn't do my surgery. Could someone out there please please coach me or advise me?

Don't lose hope. Take a look, youare 1/3 of the way to your goal of losing 90 lbs. Without the band, where would you be? I know I would be gaining more weight.

But, the band won't work if you aren't at the right restriction. Does your doctor use fluero? If not, find one that does, try fillcentersusa.com they will do fills for people who had their bands placed by other doctors.

Fills are expensive, but without restriction you might as well not have the band.

Don't give up on yourself or your band. It will work, but you have to make the sacrifices (including money) to have it do it's job. You can do this. You have a great start, keep going. Your health is too important to put on the back burner. Pick up the phone, call your doctor....today!

Take care, don't be afraid to post....we are here to support you.

Are you exercising? I am a slow loser too, but I know I wouldn't lose anything if I didn't exercise. Regular exercise and sticking to protein veggies and a small amount of fruit and you should lose, even if it's slow.

It sounds as if your doctor is not being very aggressive with fills....if you've had one a month for all these months, you should be running over by now! He needs to be using a flouroscope to make sure things are going right in there. And if he's charging that much, he'd sure better be using a flouro...that sounds a little high to me, but then I know it varies around the country.

I know that many people and some doctors say with a lapband you can eat whatever foods you want, just less of it. It's been my experience and observation that that is just not so for most of us. If you are going to be a successful loser, you have to plan your foods carefully.

Are you recording your intake of food? That has been extremely important for me to keep on track and to learn food values. I use fitday.com to record my food.........if it goes in my mouth, it goes on fitday.

What I aim for on fitday.......

Take in 80-100 grams of Protein per day (protein is protein whatever the source...if you can eat meat, that's fine. I get most of mine from Beans and from protein supplements simply because that's what I prefer. If you haven't found a protein supp you love as much as food, then keep looking - they are out there!)

Take in less than 30-40 grams of net carbs (not total carbs, net carbs....if you aren't familiar with the difference, then do a little research.) Eliminate ALL white carbs....rice, Pasta, potatoes, white breads, etc.

I don't worry too much about calories because as little as we can hold and if we are eating by the above guidelines, we aren't going to get too many calories. I generally end up with 700-1000/day.

Take in at least 64 oz of Water per day.

Do not drink with or for one hour after eating a meal.

Keep the body moving (you can record that on fitday, too).

Please don't give up even tho it must be a very discouraging ride so far.

Best wishes to you!!

30 lbs is wonderful! I imagine you would of gone UP the scale in the same amount of time had you NOT been banded!

I agree.. you need to either get your doctor to be more agressive with the fills or find another doctor......... I hollered so loudly about being able to eat a house that in TWO fills I have 2.75cc's rather than .5 a cc each time. TELL HIM YOU ARE EATING MORE THAN A CUP OF food and you are paying cash for fills so could he PLEASE fill you UP! remember YOU are the consumer he is HUMAN and should understand that you are PAYING HIM.....

DO NOT GIVE UP!

You have a tool installed

YOU JUST NEED TO TURN IT ON!!!!!!!!

Honestly you guys are angels. I am sooo touched that complete strangers would take the time to make me feel better - and all those words of support & advice really helped. I hope I can take you all out for some nice mush one of these days! I was feeling a bit conceited to be grumbling about not losing weight when in the bigger picture I was given a 2nd chance at life! I also feel as if I'm being judged by friends & family that i'm not losing the weight especially after a heart attack. It embarasses me to not be losing. I am so glad to meet you - I understand the meaning of support group now. Anyway does anyone know of a fill center in Seattle or nearby? TX

Ask your doctor if you can make payments. That is the only way I can get a fill too.

Have you had any other medical issues tested? Specifically thyroid? Talk to your family doctor before you get another fill and make sure you do not have another underlying condition making it harder for you to lose weight. It could even be a side effect of your heart medication.

Don't give up! Maybe try Weight Watchers or another type of program in combination with your band. You can battle on two fronts. The band can control your hunger and WW can keep you on the right path with your food choices.

I can so relate. Here is my story.

I'm 4.5 years out and last year I decided to get tough on myself and asked the my fill to make me tight because the weight just was not coming off. Anyway he filled me tight just like I asked in one year did not lose a single pound instead I constantly pb'd and had night time reflux. I ate soft food and made myself worst. That had been my 5th fill. My weight when I had surgery was 242 and I was at 197 (my lowest had been 168 during my depression/divorce issues), well for one year it stayed at 195. Finally I got it and started exercising not to lose weight but to ease the reflux and help the food go down (I pay 325 for fills/unfills and wanted to try this before paying any more money).

Well low and behold I lost 30 lbs in 4 months just by doing what I should have been doing all along. I did eventually get a slight unfill but have not gained any weight and that was 8 months ago. I now weight 165 and I walk almost every morning and eat large salads and drink tons of Water and can't believe I am doing to well finally after 4.5 years.

Don't get discouraged in 2 years of my journey I did not lose any weight because I wasn't following the band rules. The band does not work by itself, you have to make it work for you.

Ana

Thanks ever so for your story! Exactly the kind of inspiration I was hoping for. Please tell me what you eat and the kind of exercise you do. Is there anyway I could ring you? TX