Check in Febsters!

[Tater 0]

Hi everyone. I could really use some support right now. I'm not so great with my band and it it really depressing me. :glare:

I was banded 2/6. So far I have lost 15 pounds. Most of that was at the beginning and the scale ahsn't moved in weeks. I have had 3 fills, and 1 unfill so far. I need another fill, but now I am nervous after the last fill caused me to get stuck.

I've also been having flare ups of other health problems which have caused me to not focus on the band and doing the things I need to. I haven't been eating right (I have basically no restriction) and my health problems make it hard for me to exercise.

I look at everyone else's numbers and I want to cry. Of course you all are probably working harder than me.

So how do I make myself do this? It is harder than I imagined since I don't seem to retain the fills very well.

Oh well, I'm sure things will get better. I am seeing a personal trainer (when I don't cancel) and am taking a ballet class (used to be a dancer).

This will all pass right? :Dancing_biggrin:

[GreenChrysalis 1]

Hi Tater,

I am so sorry that you're having a rough time and that you're having health problems. I hope that's better soon.

You really can't look at everyone else's numbers. We are all different. You just have to strive towards being the best that you can be. Some people lose slower than others. It takes some people longer to get the right fill. I know that is easier said than done, we all want to compare ourselves to someone else. But it's not going to get you anywhere.

A couple of questions -- Do you track your food? If not, that is a good way to get an idea of what you need to work on. Have you measured your food to get an idea of the correct portion sizes? Have you been able to distinguish between head hunger and actual hunger? Also, did you visit a nutritionist as part of your program? Can you go back to him or her and discuss your current diet and how to improve it?

You mentioned seeing a personal trainer, so I'm guessing that he or she knows about your health problems and can come up with a program that you can do that won't hurt you. I hope that you stick with that. And dance is fantastic exercise.

I can't tell you how to make yourself do it. I don't think anybody can. You just have to reach inside yourself. You have to remind yourself why you got banded to begin with and what your goals are. You are right, it is work. The band is a tool, and we have to make a drastic lifestyle change. It sounds like you're having a hard time with fills, and that sucks. But there are still things you can do to help yourself be successful.

I wish you the best of luck and I hope that you keep posting here. Hang in there!

[taz 2]

Hi Tater. I was banded Feb 8th and have lost 14 lbs. It is discouraging to see other people lose so much and not be losing myself. The extra stress of added health problems must really be zapping you. I well know the feeling of "what difference does it make". You must have had a real scare when you got stuck. I still think you have the ability to do this. It is okay if we start off small. I had my 3rd fill yesterday. I do have the early restriction that comes with a fill. I am so relieved. You might want to have another fill if you feel no restriction. I know you would not have come this far if this was not something you really wanted to work. Don't give up! Keep coming to LBT. I know it helps me. Good luck and let us know how things are going. :blushing:

[allykat 1]

Tater and Taz - I wanted to tell you about something I learned at my last fill. My doctor said that it is not uncommon for the scale to be really stubborn in the beginning, but you may be loosing inches. Are your clothes fitting differently? If so, I'd concentrate on that. I'd also do what has already been suggested about tracking what you eat. I know for me, the scale didnt' move for a month (I was loosing inches though...clothes getting looser), but I wasn't getting near the Protein. I upped that and now I'm seeing some movement.

Concentrate on making healthier choices and exercising and I bet you see some movement soon! Hang in there, ladies!

[luv2smile 1]

I had my first fill April 9th. I was pretty good for a week. However, I am now gaining weight again and I am not full at all. Should I call my doctor? Will the give me another fill? I feel so discouraged.

Thanks for listening,

Nicole

[JaimeSTL 4]

I had my first fill April 9th. I was pretty good for a week. However, I am now gaining weight again and I am not full at all. Should I call my doctor? Will the give me another fill? I feel so discouraged.

Thanks for listening,

Nicole

I would call. I had my first (and only) fill on March 24th. I had pretty good restriction for a couple of weeks and then it began to go away bit by bit. The amount I could eat has slowly gone up since then. However, I'm still losing steadily. If I wasn't losing or I was gaining, I would definitely call to have them check things out. Were you filled under fluoro? Was that your first fill? I'd want to make sure there wasn't a leak or something. Otherwise, it might just be normal to feel that way before you have good restriction. I'd still call just to check in with the doctor.

[luv2smile 1]

this was my first fill under fluro. I just don't know what to think. I am a starvin Marvin. Literally I could eat a small child. :biggrin: I believe I will call.

Thanks,

Nicole

[Mac the Knife 1]

Just had my second fill yesterday (Mon.) after learning that I'm down all of 13 lbs. since my pre-surgery weight loss regimen began. I'm not depressed - I'm pissed.

My doctor gave me another cc of fill (now at 7 total) and told me not to sweat it too much, but after reading most of the posts here, I've got to believe something's wrong. Prior to the 2d fill I was eating like a horse, and to be perfectly honest I'm not feeling much of a restriction right now (after the 2d fill) either.

[valvinnek 0]

I had my second fill too about a week and a half ago. I now have 4 cc in a 14 cc band. I still am hungry, yes some of it is emotional eating (4 children, husband going to school 2 nights a week, and soccer/baseball practice 6 days a week) granted, I am not eating like I used to my scale is stuck and I do feel old habits creeping up. I've been off the board for awhile, but I can tell I do need to be here like I was at the beginning. But I think I will be calling for another fill soon.

[Queen of Hearts 2]

Hello everyone! Well I have had 2 fills. Total of 5.6 cc in 12 AP band. My second fill was at my request since I was cheating and eating not every afternoon but enough to where my guilt came out during my visit with my doc and I told him I was a weakling and needed a tad more adjustment! :w00t: He did it with the .6cc amount and I don't have my hunger pangs hitting me like they used to! :thumbup: So those of you that feel hungry, I would definitely consult with the doc! I am in a research program and I know everything is written down on me so in order to be true to the study I couldn't let myself blow off this weakness and my doc was great with me!:biggrin: I have lost 32 pounds since I first saw the doc but the scales weren't kind to me either! I gripped to my hubby that as much as I have starved this scale should have gone down as fast as an avalanche!:biggrin2: But like Ally said earlier~my clothes were getting looser and I had to reconfigure my thinking to this positive stroke versus that nasty scale I was ready to throttle!:frown: So hang in there and gosh I wish I would have thought to measure myself when this whole process started!:eek: Maybe I'll wait till I lose another 30 pounds??

Edited May 1, 2008 by Queen of Hearts

[Mel119 0]

I haven't posted in forever!! I hope everyone is doing well!!

I went for my first fill at the end of March, but the doctor said I was losing well, and he didn't want to do one. He did tell me that I already had 3 cc's in my band from when he did my surgery on 2/27/08.

I did make an appointment with him for next Wednesday to get a fill. I'm still losing, but very slowly. For over 2 weeks, the scales didn't budge. I am thankful that I haven't gained, though.

I am experiencing hunger pains. My stomach growled so loudly in church last Sunday that I was embarrassed!!

I've lost 41.5 pounds, but 18 of those pounds were lost before I was banded.

I guess I just wish the weight would "fall off" faster. Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't have gotten gastric bypass surgery...

[kjeter 1]

Gastric Bypass??? Yikes! Don't even say that! Yes, those patients lose weight very quickly, but often at the expense of their overall health. They have to fight each day to get enough proper nutrition. You made the right choice, honey. If you're getting discouraged, you need to get on this site more and read and post, and ask for encouragement. You'll get it, that's for sure! I can't believe your doctor wouldn't do a fill for you the first time! I wouldn't have left until he did. Don't try to gloss over how hungry you are. Just because you are losing doesn't mean you aren't suffering to do it! Until my last fill (my 4th) I hardly felt the benefit of my band at all. Even though I have good restriction now, I'm still hungry driving home from work each evening, so you'd better believe I'm going to get another small fill at my next appointment. I didn't pay $15,000 to do this on my own! If I could do it on my own, I wouldn't have had the surgery! Your doctor will be more aggressive if you insist on it. Until you get really good restriction, you will have days when you feel let down. It gets easier, I promise. You can do this and you will! Now, no more talk of having your guts rearranged. You did the right thing!

[tapshoes 2]

I too have not reported in lately..nothing to report really. I had my 3rd fill and I have some restriction (finally). I am not at my 'sweet spot' yet, but definitely I am feeling restriction. And for those not there yet, it really does make it easier - I haven't had to exercise great physical and mental control to NOT to eat something above 1 cup of food. The band is doing its thing!

Although I am somewhat disappointed in my weight loss since surgery Feb 22, the weight is going down, and now I think it should be a little easier. The fill nurse thought that beginning with the next fills it will be at 0.5 cc per fill - not too much which can result in de-filling, or an unhealthy weight loss (above 1-2 lbs/week). We shall see when I go for the next fill because she may have an argument from me!

To everyone - we can do this. We will do this...come hell or ice cream!

[AppleSmith1226 1]

Hey guys how has everybody been ... me just working and trying to maintain my weigh BEINGS THAT I'M 3 FILLS IN AND DONT HAVE A DRP OF RESTRICTION!! Well I take that bad I dont have as much as I would like to have. I wanna take 2-3 bites of food and feel like I just ate 3 serving of Thanksgiving dinner! That's my "fantasy" fill. But as far as weight I think that I am doing pretty good my weight has kinda slowed now but I think it's really because of the fill stuff. But I dont eat anywhere as much as I used to and I am definetely a more concious eater! Before I would just get food and let it rip. I mean sit in front of the TV all weekend and just eat ... eww I was such a pig. I look back on those days now and sometime I get really disgusted with food and other I am just as food happy as I used to be but it only last for a moment ... like if I have something really tasty for lunch or I go to my favorite restaurant or something. I assume this is how "normal" act towards food or "ex-fat people" LOL or "ex-fat people in the making" But anyway guess what! My husband hadn't seen me since I was all fat an extra gross well he came home last week and he was in a state of shock! HE was so happy AND he couldn't keep his hands off me! He was very flattering and the extra flesh wasn't in the way during "play" time! I really really missed him. And he wasso proud of me. And as sexy as he is he deserves to have a nice looking woman on his arm inside and out! BUT OTHER THAN THAT I missed everybody and Apples is BACK!:biggrin:

[JaxBandster 11]

Wow it sure is great to see everyone flocking back home where they belong!!!!! Apples I bet your husband was absolutely thrilled!!! Mine just doesn't want me to get too skinny! LOL

For you guys that are experiencing slow loss and/or have no restriction, I would be demanding fills! We didn't get the band to have it empty! Yes we need to do it slowly but you should be getting fills every month. I just had my third in a large AP band. 6.5 cc's. I'm like Mac, I'd be pissed if my doctor wasn't doing what needed to be done to make sure I wasn't hungry.

As far as hunger goes, make sure you are getting lots of Protein, it will definitely help. Try eating every few hours (small portions and high in protein). Don't lose sight of the prize, it will happen!