Hi all

I am in serious bandster hell;:smile::mad: I am not making the best food choices, I eat way too much and way to fast. The only time I know or feel my band is when something is stuck and I slime and it comes up:scared2::cool:. This began the day of my last fill, at time I fell like nothing was put in my band. I try going back to the bandster rules but I fail, I try the pouch test it worked only for that week. The only reason I lost any weight in the last 3 weeks is because I practically live at the gym. I have 7cc in a 10cc band but it feels like I have nothing at all in my band. At time I think maybe the pouch stretched or the band slip; yet I have no pain, I can eat anything I want.:scared2::thumbup:

I keep making these bad food choices; I can’t seem to find my way back. I’m trying to wait for my doctor’s appointment on July 23 but I feel tortured. I know what he’ll say “75lb lost in 8 months is great your doing well” I don’t think so at all, the last 2 months of the 8 month has been so hard physically and emotionally as a result all I want to do is eat.

I need help, I feel like such a loser.:smile2::crying::crying::crying:

Marie-Gabrielle

First of all try and relax a bit and get things in perspective. You have done amazingly well but you may need a small fill to get back on track. If you can eat almost anything at 7cc's, ask for a barium test like Sades and Judy did to check on the band. Let them check for a slip, unlocked band, etc. If everything looks good, get the fill.

I think that no matter how much weight we lost so far, the demons are still there waiting to attack. I know that I fight them all of the time. I have yet to pass up chocolate when it's around. I wish chocolate would get stuck! I am a slow loser but I know that if I cut back the sugar and carbs, I will lose faster. It's a tough, uphill battle. The skinny nurse practioner who I see monthly at my surgeons just debates with me on my food choices and lack of excercise. She doesn't get that the problem is in my head. I've had a tough few weeks too but can't get a fill as I get stuck too often.

Ask for the x-ray and take it from there. You'll get back on track. July 23 is in only 10 days.

Hi Cindy,

Thank you for your words and advises. I will request an x-ray for my July 23rd visit; also I am going to keep trying. It’s very hard battling your food demons when it’s all around you. At time I find that I have no will power at all, and lay all my hopes on the band but no restriction, no hope. :biggrin:

Hey Marie 75 lbs in 8 months is fantastic. I know how hard it is to have no restriction. Of course in my case it was an actual problem but I wouldn't worry too much because most people find their restriction between 7-8.5ccs. I would wait till you get to about 8cc before asking for a barium swallow. Good luck.

I think I would say don't wait get and x-ray right away. It's just an x-ray, it's quick and easy.

Now I say this if you REALLY think you do not have restriction. If you are just making bad choices that's one thing, but does bread, steak all the things they tell you will be hard to get down, do they go down really easily?

Plus the band if working right should take some of the hunger away.

If all foods go down easily, without having to chew a lot then ask for an x-ray. Why torture yourself with more fills and be more discouraged. I wish I had insisted on an x-ray sooner.

75 pounds IS really good though but I can hear how hard you feel you've worked to get those pounds off and shouldn;t the band make us feel like it is helping us, so the work isn't as hard as it was before we got the band?

I know it's not a cure all but it is supposed to help.

Sorry, you're struggling Marie. Let us know how you make out at the next appt.

Hi All,

I have been very depressed with my lack of weight loss and struggling to loss weight. However, I took your advised:

• I went back to basic last week I measure my food
  
• Made the right choices
  
• Continue to exercise
  

I still have no restriction, but I didn’t gain any weight or lost any. At my doctor’s appointment yesterday, he got back all 7cc of saline ruling out a leak. I had an X-Ray my band didn’t slip or moved everything is where it’s supposed to be. Also, after speaking to the nutritionist we realized that I was going to many hours between eating. I wake up every day at 5: 00 am, head to the gym at 8:30, but I don’t eat Breakfast until 11:30 am, lunch at 3:00 pm and diner 7 or 8 p.m at each meal I was eating a large amount of food, I eat mostly moist food, and would only stop eating when I felt stuff. The result is a stretch pouch, hence no restriction. I am place on liquid diet for a week and feeding schedule that entail 4 meals a day and eating every 4 hours. Also I had ½ cc added to my band and was full drinking 8oz of Water for the first time.

I want to say thank you to each and everyone of you, your words kept me sane when I felt out of control of my eating and myself as a whole.

Thank you

Marie, I'm glad that all looks normal with your band. Remember you've already lost a lot of weight and just to maintain a lower weight you must eat less and to lose additional weight, we must cut calories even further, it's really hard.

I think it's great you spoke with the nutrionist and have a plan to get back on track.

Glad to hear that there's nothing serious with your band. A few days of liquids should get you back on track. I was going to suggest that you need to be eating a little more through the day, that way you only eat a little each time. Hope your pouch gets back to size. Good luck and keep us posted

Marie, I'm glad things went well for you and you're back on track. I wonder if my pouch stretched? The nurse questioned if my band could have slipped cause I have been able to eat so much. However, I had no other symptoms so maybe my problem was the same as your's. I'm on liquids too for a few days after the fill I got today. I have an appointment in 2 weeks. If I can still eat the same amount we'll do an x-ray.