hi everyone im new to your forum Im from England i was banded marcch 2007 18 months agoI have a 14ml band with a10.5ml fill I am 5ft tall and weigh 11st 8lb in march 2007 i was 12st 12lb iv had several fills the lowest weight i got down to was 11st. then i went on holiday and gained 10lb and im really struggleing to get any more weigt off iv never eaten big meals im more a constant sweet tooth nibbler .Ihave an active job love going for walks nearly every day and use my local gym/ex classes several times a week but i dont feel any better for having the band im nearly always hungry I have to really stop myself eating and im not eating that much anyway I had a fill 4 weeks ago still dont really feel full but i do PB on some tough foods or if i forget to chew and chew i also have tightness in my throat and heartburn .if i go back to my 9.75 i had 4 weeks ago i never had a full feeling then .The only time i felt full and satisfied was the first few months after my surgery and that was when I lost my only weight really any advise please i dont know what to do next I feel this band is no help to me x

Hi,

A few questions for you:

• Have you seen your dietician?
  
• What is your daily meal structure like? 3 meals a day,etc?
  
• Do you have Breakfast?
  
• Do you have supper?
  
• What are the foods that you nibble?
  
• What is your current BMI?
  

This forum is full of people who want to help and give advice. Try and stay positive.

I eat 3 meals aday in between I eat yogarts bananas and im afraid cake or ice lollies not every day but several times a week but when i first had my op i was comfortabley satisfied all day long i dont get that feeling any more only sometimes after a big roast like last night 3 roast pots chicken carrot/sweed and cauli smll amount of gravy i ate nearly all then went back 30 mins later and fin the 1/4 that id left id had no drink this size meal is a little smaller than I use to eat pre band iv tried to be good but sometimes im REALLY REALLY STARVIN like now mornings i have muesilie or porridge nothing else only a cup of tea again same as pre band but im more starvin than i use to be pre band ino i shoulldnt drink after food and find it dif esp after breakfast x

Are you focusing on Protein at your meals? It will keep that feeling of satisfaction longer. oatmeal or something similar makes me very hungry later in the day because it is so carb heavy.

And, I'm sorry, but you need to cut the snacking out. The band WILL let you graze all day. You're effectively eating around it.

And, I'm sorry, but you need to cut the snacking out. The band WILL let you graze all day. You're effectively eating around it.

I agree. The band is a tool, not the answer in itself.

My routine is:

• Breakfast - never miss it, usually oats with milk.
  
• lunch - usually Soup.
  
• Evening meal - what the rest of the family has, but I'm very aware of portion control. I eat slowly, chew everything. I never go back for seconds.
  
• drinks - tea/coffee/water as required. I drink extra amounts of Water.
  
• I eat bananas (max 2 a day) and apples after meals.
  

I don't feel hungry on that and my body has got used to the smaller amounts of food. My family are also very supportive - they never say things like 'is that all you're having?'

I'm certainly not saying that you should follow my routine, just that it works for me. I don't graze and I'm never hungry. I have recently gone to 5cc in a 10cc band. I exercise 6 days a week for about 45 minutes a day.

I still think you ought to see a dietician. Where abouts are you in England?

Yes, try a protein drink first thing in the morning. Caffeine can actually make you more hungry, so cut back on that. You might have 1 sweet cake a week as a treat to yourself for following your dietary rules. Another important food to watch out for is carbs. Those add up fast, also make you hungry, drive your insulin levels crazy and put on weight gain. I try to stay under 40 grams of carbs a day. Hope this helps. Good luck!