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

OK tracy I am a numbers girl.

$150 is nothing compaired to the cost of what your eatting now...the bad stuff.

Put on paper how much you HONESTLY spend on soda and eatting out and out of a vending machiene.

If you were anything like me. You will save money by getting back on track. NO soda's they just make you hungry and dont do anything for you except make you gain weight, and lose teeth....the last was curticy of my dentist. lol

So you cant afford NOT to go to the dr for a fill.

I don't think its about the money if you can afford a bodybugg you can afford a fill.

I was at support group last night and we all got a lecture about how important it is to check in with the dr bc our bad numbers make him look bad and so if his numbers look bad the insurance companies are going to start pulling out.

Good luck, I know you can get back on the band wagon.

Great advise Jack!

Steph. I was just giving the numbers. Affording it is mental sometimes.

Thank you for the support. I am going to register on Sparkpeople.com and start tracking my calories.

I was feeling SO upbeat. And then, when the NP started reeling off the statistics and saying that she's seen more people fail than succeed with the band -- it just played into my old feelings of discouragement.

Excercise isn't a problem for me. My weight gain is fairly recent (last 5-years), and before I gained, I was always a big excerciser. In fact, I came in first in my category in a Triathalon 10-years ago.

I won't go to the health club right now -- I don't want anyone to see me at this weight. I don't want to see myself in excercise clothes right now either -- not a pretty sight!

Instead, I bought a treadmill and a stationary bike and I work out at home. It's a bit difficult for me at the moment as I just had knee surgery a month ago, but I did 45-minutes on the stationary bike this morning, which always makes me feel good. I did it in my underwear -- like, who can see? :smile:

It's the eating that's my bugaboo. The food. The stuffing. The feeling horrible after. I need it to stop. I want it to stop. If the band can help me stop the behavior, then I want to be on the train to bandland.

Writing to this group helps. Thanks for listening.

b.

I know it's been said, but you need to go in there, and get that fill.

Don't be emberassed, ashamed, or discouraged.

You're making the step to get to work with the band!

My doc would praise me for acknowleding I needed the fill, and following through. How easy it would be, not to get a fill and just keep eating what you want.. food is so comforting, right?

However, if your doc is one of those (I have heard about) that is basically a shithead, and does try to make you feel bad for slow progress, or not losing weight (even though you need a fill!!), let it roll off. Screw them, get your fill and go home.

I have to say, I had a rough start with the band, I thought it wasn't going to work. When they revised me, and fills finally went in.. it's working like magic for me. I don't think it'll last, I think once I get closer to goal, I'll have to work at it, like I hear a lot of people say they have to work at it.

But in all honesty, I'm losing 2-3lbs a week steadily since my last fill.. and I eat everything I use to, just smaller quantities.. I did cut out drinking cokes all the time, but I still have 1/2 can of ginger ale once a week. And I got rid of Snacks that go down real easy (ice cream, chips). If I don't have those things, I find a better substitute.. if it's in the house, I'd eat it all.

So anyway, little work on my part at this point and it's working great.

A good fill goes a long way.

In the beginning I was fighting for 1lb a month, counting my calories, etc. Now it's just easy. A few months from now, I'll be on here whining about how I can't get past XXXlbs, and I'm too lazy to work-out. :smile:

As far as the doc that told you this does not work for people in the long term: I think we need to concider how getting ANY weight off conciderably helps our health. One day at a time!!!! Our futures are never certain.

As far as the doc that told you this does not work for people in the long term: I think we need to concider how getting ANY weight off conciderably helps our health. One day at a time!!!! Our futures are never certain.

Did you get the surgery? I had my meetings with the NP at Lahey the other day and the shrink and dietitian and they were much more upbeat with the results for Lap Band. They did stress it's up to you to do the work after surgery and that yes you can stay the same or gain weight if you do stupid things like eating a gallon of ice cream and calorie ridden milk shakes and frappes.

I know that I have lost weight in the past...done rather well for some time and them bam I gain it back. Or most of it. I know this is basically my last chance to be a normal weight again before I die. In fact if I don't get my weight down I will die. Bottom line. I quit smoking 2 years ago it was hard but I did it. So I do think I can do this. Good luck and don't be discouraged.

Wow. I'm surprised the NP at Lahey was upbeat about their results with the lapband. When I went in for my pre-surgery group with the NP (this is scheduled right before surgery), she said that they're not seeing as good a result with the lapband as they thought they were in the beginning. That made me feel discouraged. Nevertheless, YES, I had the surgery. I've had my first fill and will be having my 2nd fill in two weeks. I have a little bit of restriction, but not much so far. I'm feeing optimistic however and this is a road that is going to work for me. I've convinced myself of that.

b.

And dont get discouraged. I was because I have not lost much since the surgery. I talked to my dr and he told me to be patient. The band needs time to get the fills to get you at the right restriction before you start dropping weight. Some people hit it quicker then others. So be patient. It WILL work for you. You have to work WITH the band and not against it. Or arround it.

that's one step further than I can take right now. It's funny how we develope these relationships with our doctors and then when we need them most we stay away.

I know I did alot of research into my doctor and made sure I felt comfortable with him and made sure I just liked him. It's funny now because I like him so much and I appreciate everthing he did for me i feel like going to see him now after almost a year is laying dissapointment right infront of him. I don't want to see his face when he sees i've gained 20-30 lbs. At this rate you would think my goal is to get back to my preop weight. Because I sure am closer to that one that the one I had to get down to 160. which wasn't unreachable as far as I was told and isn't unreachable when i look at those before/after pics. I jsut couldn't do it. Nothing broken, everything is still in place, no pain, no nothing. i eat what i want and drink when i want and that's why i'm not succeeding. What is that line that I can't cross to actually put in a effort to make this thing work? What did it take for you to put your foot down and do it?

You should definitly go see your doctor. and then if they have a program with a nutritionist one that knows how the band works. Get with them too!

Just do it! Start following the rules. Just start now. forget about the past. And go see your doctor. He will want you to succede.

Good Morning

I am seriously reaching out for help. I was banded june 2006. I lost about 75lbs from june to dec then I just stop loosing weight and have maintained ever since playing with the same 5 lbs but now that 5 has turned to 10 and I am still not loosing weight. I have been in for several fills and several unfills. I filled my band so much that I started having acid reflux so that have ultimately taken ALL the Water out. I know I need to go back to have a fill, but I don't just want to have a fill and be sent back out again to fend for myself. I need help to get back on program. I really didn't understand the program to much to begin with. Fear is what kept me in check and now that the fear is gone I really don't know what the proper program is. I unfortunately with my jobs don't have time to attend support meetings. I am in hopes someone out there can suggest a website that gives example programs or a dietician to speak with or a something. I am an actress and just got the part of my lifetime I have worked REALLY hard to get this part and I almost lost it because of my weight. I really don't want them to worry about my weight and see only the talent I have and can give to their patrons and I really want to loose the rest of the weight but I need help more than just nagging from my family. Any suggestions?

thank you

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Edited April 15, 200818 yr by dragon_pasha

Good Morning

I am seriously reaching out for help. I was banded june 2006. I lost about 75lbs from june to dec then I just stop loosing weight and have maintained ever since playing with the same 5 lbs but now that 5 has turned to 10 and I am still not loosing weight. I have been in for several fills and several unfills. I filled my band so much that I started having acid reflux so that have ultimately taken ALL the Water out. I know I need to go back to have a fill, but I don't just want to have a fill and be sent back out again to fend for myself. I need help to get back on program. I really didn't understand the program to much to begin with. Fear is what kept me in check and now that the fear is gone I really don't know what the proper program is. I unfortunately with my jobs don't have time to attend support meetings. I am in hopes someone out there can suggest a website that gives example programs or a dietician to speak with or a something. I am an actress and just got the part of my lifetime I have worked REALLY hard to get this part and I almost lost it because of my weight. I really don't want them to worry about my weight and see only the talent I have and can give to their patrons and I really want to loose the rest of the weight but I need help more than just nagging from my family. Any suggestions?

thank you

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

The first step is to get a fill. If you don't feel you are getting the support you need from your doc then find a new one. Follow the band rules, Protein first then veggies and if room then carbs. Don't drink after meals. Count your calories if you have to. It is a pain at first but after a while it is easy and worth it. Exercise, even if it is just a 10 minute walk it is better than nothing. Do something. Anything. The band won't work without a fill.

Good luck!

You CAN do it. I didn't want to call my doctor the FIRST time to get this surgery in the first place...I was very embarrassed. But, I figured, what have I got to lose? I mean, besides weight . I decided that I didn't care what my doctor's opinion of me is...and I care about other people's opinions (I know...bad). I don't hang out with him. He's not a close friend. I looked at him as a tool to get me where I want to be.

The best thing about the band is that you are NOT a failure. The band means you can get a fill and be back on track easily!

Just call. Pretend you are not embarrassed. Pretend you are not scared. Pretend you have been succeeding and fell on a small setback (which you did). In my life, I have found that pretending to be something else usually results in my becoming that person eventually. So pretend to be all the best that you want to be, and then, one day, you'll wake up and see that you ARE that person.

Good luck!