Hi all,

I had a 10 cc band installed in May, had a 4cc fill in july and am not doing well at all.

I don't feel as if the band is helping any. I'm getting all the "negatives" (PB's and blockages) but none of the "benefits" (early satisfaction and consequent weight loss). It's very depressing. I'm a self pay and it seems as if I've thrown money down the drain....once again.

Hammer:help:

Hammer I'm a self pay too. I had mine put in April 17th. Here is what I can offer to you.

The hardest thing for me to break has been my eating habit. The band isn't going to do that for me I have learned because I just get sick when I eat the way I typically do. I am use to large bites, short chews and swallows. I might get away with one or two bites but try a third one and I will get sick, I'll have pain and so forth.

For an immediate, I can suggest for one day to give your belly a rest by switching it up to post-op food like the broth, soft easy foods like Toddler meals from Gerber. I've even done it for two days and up to three at one time, just to give my stomach a rest. (we have to remember what has just happened and to be gentle on our system)

For me, that seems to take me out of a pain and worry zone into a calmer place. I start all over like that and have done so on several occasions. I go real slow and eat chicken and easily digested foods (research that on the internet).

Another thing I have done is joined Overeaters Anonymous. To attempt to describe the help would not do it justice. Yahoo Groups has an awesome selection of message boards and "Loops" where you can receive emails of support.

Although our intake is unique, anyone who has an obesity issue and is trying to gain some semblence of new lifestyle..HEALTHY lifestyle, is relateable to us.

I have a 10CC band and am filled to just under 7.5 CC's right now.

I weigh 336 and started out at 375. I didn't get like this over night or in one year so I also know that for the average person, 10 pounds a month is a healthy level of weight loss.

Hope this has helped.

Good luck

Hi all,

I had a 10 cc band installed in May, had a 4cc fill in july and am not doing well at all.

I don't feel as if the band is helping any. I'm getting all the "negatives" (PB's and blockages) but none of the "benefits" (early satisfaction and consequent weight loss). It's very depressing. I'm a self pay and it seems as if I've thrown money down the drain....once again.

Hammer:help:

Hi Hammer,

I remember very clearly being exactly where you are now. This is where the head work of being banded comes into play. You need to take things VERY slowly, and try to really learn the new way that your stomach works.

When you feel a blockage coming on, or that you've had enough that one more bite might bring it back up, STOP EATING. Put your fork down and close your eyes. Feel the way your stomach feels right at that very moment, and recognize that THIS IS WHAT FULL FEELS LIKE. It is a different feeling than what we experienced before banding, but if you wait 10, 15 minutes you will definitely come to understand that you are no longer hungry.

You will have eaten a lot less than you might have wanted to, but this is indeed how we lose weight with the band. I know it's not easy, but it's a passage we all MUST make if we want to be successful in losing weight. There will be more food later, if you decide you really want it. But for now, BEFORE you PB or get uncomfortable, it is time to STOP EATING.

Enough really can become enough, but only if you let the band teach you what this new ENOUGH is. Your stomach is smaller than before, but your mental perception was not changed in surgery. That takes a bit of work.

Good luck!!

Alexandra and Jack, thank you both so much for writing these amazing words of wisdom. I need to heed them myself.

I have a 4cc band and have only had one fill and honestly if I didnt have the scars I wouldnt guess that I had surgery at all. Monday I get another fill and I am hoping that this will help. I dread going to my appointment with only a two pound loss but thats why I did this, I often tell myself, "you have a eating disorder, duh" Well hang in there, I am sure if you go to your appointments and work with your doc it will all fall in to place.