hi, im glad i found this site because i really need some support. i was banded 5/21/03. i lost a little over 50 pounds, had 2 fills i think the first year, and then began gaining it all back . i learned how to eat around the band, ive not really been restricted much at least for the last 2 years, and can eat everything and anything. now im embarassed to call my doctor and ask about a fill, i'm mortified that after being so motivated and going through all those tests and an OPERATION, ive failed. i dont know if my pouch is stretched, im sure it is. the soda rule i remember hearing about but i didnt know it could do that and ive been drinking soda for years. im trying to get up the courage to call my doctor on monday. to make matters worse my 2 1/2 year relationship just broke up and the thought of dating the way i look now makes me shake. i just want the doctor to fill me so much that i can only drink water at this point, but im afraid ive messed everything up.

im hoping someone out there will have some insight into what im going through....my 5 year bandervsary is coming up and if i dont do something soon i'll be at my starting weight by then.

thanks so much for listening,,,,er,,,,reading

hello im sorry to hear about the trouble your having. but htis is why were here is for support. now that youve identified the problems in keeping you from losing anymore weight. lets fix them call dr to get a fill. then go thru your house rid it of junk food and soda. stock with healthy foods and snacks and get back on track. write a food journel for now on to track calories. start off with a low inpact aerobics. or walking for 30 minutes a day. im sorry about the break up with your boyfriend but hell be sorry when he sees you starting to lose weight again and get back on track. A man isnt worth draggin your health down. good luck

I'm in a similar situation. I haven't lost anything since a week out of surgery. I'm depressed about it and am REALLY sorry about telling some people I had the operation since I haven't lost any weight.

I totally understand you not wanting to call the doc. I didn't either, but I did. I'm getting a fill in 2 weeks.

My hubby even bought me a body bugg. So I track my millions of calories and lack of exercise Oh, and a treadmill, too, which has become a clothes dryer.

But, I AM going for a fill. Care to join me?

Neither of you should get too discouraged! Don't be down- just do something about it!

Lala- great job calling your doctor! That's exactly what you should do & keep following up. And, remember, the first few weeks are about healing your pouch, not losing weight & that's what I'd tell anyone who asks why you're not losing weight (shame on them~!). A friend of mine had a hysterectomy & she was pretty thin- she had swelling for about 6-8 weeks in the stomach area after the surgery. So, after a surgery, it's common to have the tummy a little swollen. If you get a chance, if you haven't already, watch a video on line of what the doctors do during the surgery- all that stretching & poking- no wonder it swells!

I didn't lose as much as I wanted either for several weeks (banded 12/20/07) but after about 3 weeks it started going down! Yeah! I was so relieved!

And, Tracy, you hang in there- just call your doctor; or, find another doctor if that's what you'd rather do. But, go see a doctor. Someone will help you- you have options. While you are waiting, as someone else said, clear out the junk food & refocus yourself. If you had the courage to do lapband, you've got what it takes to fight this battle again!

Good luck!

Hang in there !

To hell with everyone...get on those big girl panties and get straight to your doctor asap and tell him you have jacked around and been remiss but you need to get on the stick and get goin! He's not going to chastize you NEARLY as much as you are doing to yourself! The operative word is get in there and get some serious restriction and then get off your butt and quit eating around the band. Bad girl! (*kisses*) :-)

CALL your doctor-S/he is there to serve you, not to judge you!

To hell with everyone...get on those big girl panties and get straight to your doctor asap and tell him you have jacked around and been remiss but you need to get on the stick and get goin! He's not going to chastize you NEARLY as much as you are doing to yourself! The operative word is get in there and get some serious restriction and then get off your butt and quit eating around the band. Bad girl! (*kisses*) :-)

What Kacee said.

No one beats you up as much or as well as yourself. Go, go, GO!!!

You can write and tell us how the call went tomorrow. The offices should be open. Holidays are over....

XO

Its time to get back on the "Band"wagon. You need to recommit yourself to the band and to a healthy way of living. Go get a fill and starting eating right/exercising and you will feel so much better. It is not too late and your are not a failure...you just got side tracked a little...we all do and we are all human. Good Luck!

Hi everyone and thank you for ur words of encouragement. I just called Dr. Gellman's office, and have an appt to go see him on 1/25. He doesnt take oxford anymore :eek: so i have to pay 150 for an office visit, but he does fills via a radiologist so that should be covered. wish me luck

thanks again!

Congratulations for having courage to start again and call your doctor!

Here's my confession: I had a fill in September. I gained 7 lbs between then and this past Friday, when I had my most recent fill. I was ashamed of myself, and kept telling myself that I needed to lose the weight I'd gained before going in for a fill. Then I decided that was BULL, and I sucked it up and made the appointment. He was GLAD that I came in for the fill, because obviously, I needed it, along with a kick in the pants for not calling sooner. He did not chastise me, but encouraged me that I can STILL do this!

Congratulations on your courage to make the appointment, and let me just say that you need to brace yourself, because it may take more than one fill to find that magic again. And that's ok. Do whatever you need to!

((((((((hugs))))))))

Wow! I am so glad you called your doctor for a fill. You can do this!!!!! We all can. You just have to believe in yourself and start again. You never fail till you stop trying. Donna

Good on you Tracey for working up the courage to do this. You've already done the hard part... having the op, so you don't need to do that again, you just need to get back on track and this is the first step.

Same to you Lala.

Hi,

I'm scheduled for lapband surgery on 2/11/08.

Yesterday, I went to the "pre-op," group where the dietician and the nurse practitioner go over everything you need to know -- the post-op diet, etc.

I pointedly asked the nurse practitioner about the success rate of the lap band and what she had seen. She said that they are not seeing the success rate that was first reported in the literature (this is a Center of Excellence -- Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA), and they are becomming convinced that the lap band does not produce the same level of success as the gastric bypass.

Let me say that there is NO WAY I would even consider gastric bypass.

The NP went on to say that they see far more failures than successes and that a lot of people they see don't end up really losing any weight at all. She then gave the "party line talk," about the band is a tool, working with the band, etc., but I'm feeling very discouraged.

If I could lose weight on my own, I would have by now. I was looking to the band to really make losing easier, but now reality is hitting home.

I am an emotional eater. I eat when I'm happy, sad, anxious, not anxious, hell, I just plain eat whenever. I get cravings a lot and I find it hard not to give in to them. I get cravings just about every day.

I'm scared. I'll get cravings once banded. If I can't say "no," to cravings now, what makes me think I can say "no," once I have a band around my stomach.

Hearing the NP last night is making me rethink this whole thing. Then again, when I try and think about facing life at my current weight -- I get very upset and sad.

Help!

b.

Bonniep,

Nothing in this life is easy or a guarantee. Not even the band. The key to having success with the band is knowing before hand that you are going to have to make some changes. It IS a tool and if you don’t work with it, it will not work for you. There are sooooo many people that have had great success with the band on the board, but they made the choice to work with the band. You are going to have to watch what you eat and you are going to have to exercise. The band will not do that for you. Your success is going to depend on you and your commitment to changing you eating and exercising habits. You can succeed. You can do this. Good luck and remember that we are here for you.

Traceyslp1,

To help you track what you are eating and your exercise, you might want to consider signing up for sparkpeople.com or fitday.com (I use sparkpeople). It is an easy way to see just what you are doing and where you need improvements. Like yesterday, I thought I was doing ok with my calories, but when I logged it in at sparkpeople, I was over my goal for the day. It is easy to do, but logging what you eat helps you keep track and will keep you mindfull of what you are doing. Recommit to yourself and you can do it.

Congrats to Tracy for calling and making your appointment! WTG your on your way!

Lala same to you!

Bonnie- No surgery is a sure thing, no diet is a sure thing, we all know that! It takes a commitment to yourself and forgiveness to yourself! Have have to band your head with your stomach, and that is the hard part.

We have all gone through the professions of today is going to be a good day, I'm going to start my "diet" then someone brings in chocolate chip Cookies, that are still WARM! Oh crud, ok I'll have 1 then before you know it you break off a corner of another one then a few minutes later whet the heck you eat the whole thing. Well great you've screwed up your day so why not eat a dozen and start tomorrow.

Those thoughts do not go away once you are banded. Those battles I should say. You have to forgive yourself for breaking down after the second cookie and take out something healthier rejoice in the fact that you enjoyed the taste of those cookies and that you didn't eat 12.

Giving your self permission I believe is a big key to success.

Forgiving yourself after you have indulged with out thinking is another big key to success.

Prove the staff wrong with there stats.

I know several people who have had the bypass and now have the band because they lose there restriction after 3-5 yrs.

Start a support group if there isn't a local one by you.

Stay in touch with your Drs office get in there 3 times a yr at least so that you can both stay on top of whats going on.

And lean on others just like Tracy and Lala are doing here.