Occassionally, I run across a few posts from people like me who have failed their bands. But these posts are usually just a venting opportunity. I have failed my band - I acknowledge it - and it would be great if we could have a group of other "failures" who want to work together to become success stories.

MY STORY

I was banded in March of 2007. At the time I was 299 lbs. I am a 6ft tall lady. Today, I weigh 255, and basically just as big as I was when I got my band. I have got numerous fills and I usually eat through my fiils. I can eat whatever I want. I overeat and I am confident that I have caused my stomach to expand. I snack on candy, I eat the wrong foods - I eat until I am STUFFED. Sometimes when I overeat, I feel sick and gag to relieve the pressure.

I moved to Houston 4 months ago, and last week, I went in for a port-readjustment with Dr Alanis. It went well and I now have a new resolve to make it work. My doctor mentioned to me that about 40% of all bandsters fail. I do not want to be a failure. I have paid too much money to go through this.

MY GOAL FOR DECEMBER

• To write everything I eat down, including calories
  
• To stay within 1500 Calories.
  

What's your story? What's your goal? How can I support you? How can we support each other?

Misery loves company, and company can help us move from failure to success. Please join me by telling me your story, and your GOAL for December. Let's vent - but more importantly, let's talk about strategies to make this work - let's share and support each other - Let's turn this from failure to success.

I REFUSE TO BE A FAILURE

Hi everyone! Well...I had my port revision on Tuesday the 30th and I'm back at work today. The surgeon gave me a 1cc fill during the revision and I'm aggravated because I STILL do not have restriction! It feels like I don't even have a band! Arrrggggg!!!! I'm at 6cc in a 10cc band. I'm calling this morning to set my appointment for my next fill. I want to get on with this weight loss thing! lol!

Just wanted everyone to know the revision surgery went well and I'm having very little pain. I haven't been writing my food down since I'm still on soft foods through this weekend, but I'm planning to start writing EVERYTHING down on Monday.

Happy New Year! Let's make 2009 the time to shine!!!

Elizabeth

Yipeeeeeeeeee Elizabeth!! So glad everything went well!!!!! Needed that to go well and I am glad it did!! :tongue: Sounds like you are sticking to your post op dr's orders with regards to diet. Congratulations!!! :confused: Nice work.

How many calories are you sticking to daily? In addition, when you say you feel no restriction, are you looking for fullness or just satiety? What quantity are you eating per meal?

Curious Tabby

:biggrin:

Hi All, I really want to tell you that I appreciate your posts and how REAL they are. Not all of us are super losers. And I know that if I tell you my problems I'm not going just going to hear, "suck it up and get on with it", (ok, I admit - I think I DO need to hear that in some respects).

This is my story. After 9 months I finally know what restriction is. I know why I have to chew slowly, why I can't drink Water when I'm eating, etc. Before, my band was not working for me. Or rather I didn't get the fills (the new nurse missed my port when giving me fills and I ended up only having 3cc in a 9cc). So I didn't have the band for the longest time and now I do. This is how I feel - I've been banded since Feb -08 but have only been "banded" since the end of October.

So here it is - I'm in the middle of this anger/poor me cycle 'cause of the no fills and have slipped away from what is important - committing to myself, getting on the band wagon of weight loss. I know what I need to do is dust myself off and tell myself that today is a new day and I'm on my way again. I've slipped so far away from what I NEED to be doing - watching the clock when eating, etc.

One good thing, tho, is that I'm HAVING to listen to my band since my last fill ( a week ago ). Maybe this will send me on my way.

Has this happened to any of you - the no fill thing? Thanks for your help

Hi Betrthnever

Welcome to the group!!! Glad you have joined us and we can all support each other this new year, towards our weight loss goals.

I'm so sorry to hear about the fills and the nurse was not putting the fills in!!! That must be really aggravating and it must be frustrating to think of all the lost time because of someone else's incompetence. I hear you and just the thought of it kinda makes me mad - even though it didnt happen to me!!!!

While I dont know if that ever happened to me, I can tell you that I know what it feels like to go for a year and a half, almost two years, without a feeling of restriction (or what I thought restriction would feel like.) And it was frustrating - I hated that I had to go through this procedure only to end up eating MORE than my normal sized friends and not lose at the rate I wanted. It was frustrating to come on here and see everyone elses successes, that I stopped coming - worst thing I could have done for myself. So I think you have earned those feelings, and you SHOULD feel them.....then put them behind you to allow you to TRULY get back on track.

I'm so glad you feel restriction - I do too, now. And that feeling of restriction has helped me get back on track - I've taken back the ownership for my weight loss and I think you have to.

betrthnever - what are your goals for the MONTH OF JANUARY?

Oh girl...I have no clue how many calories I'm eating because I haven't been writing everything down! I know I should be, but I've got a ton of stuff going on this weekend (including my birthday), so I decided to be realistic and start logging my food and counting calories on Monday. I know...I should start now, but I know this weekend will be a whirlwind and I didn't want to set myself up for disappointment.

As far as restriction - I guess I can say I do feel some satiety when eating, but I'm so grasping for that actual "restriction" that I haven't had since June this year when all my problems started. I long to feel that "that's it" moment, when you know that you can't eat any more without PB'ing. I know that is a sick way to look at things!

I'm really going to begin working on the emotional / mental aspect of this thing this weekend. For so long, I've wanted the band to do it's thing, but I wasn't willing to meet it half-way. I need to learn to do what I can and let the band be the "tool" that it was intended to be...not the cure all that I expected!

Thanks, Tabithan, for your support. Seeing other people with their issues (port flips!!! Yikes!), far worse then mine, makes me feel a little humbled. To tell the truth I haven't set goals for myself. Sounds crazy, that's part of my issue. The goals are coming, tho...

Oh girl...I have no clue how many calories I'm eating because I haven't been writing everything down! I know I should be, but I've got a ton of stuff going on this weekend (including my birthday), so I decided to be realistic and start logging my food and counting calories on Monday. I know...I should start now, but I know this weekend will be a whirlwind and I didn't want to set myself up for disappointment.

As far as restriction - I guess I can say I do feel some satiety when eating, but I'm so grasping for that actual "restriction" that I haven't had since June this year when all my problems started. I long to feel that "that's it" moment, when you know that you can't eat any more without PB'ing. I know that is a sick way to look at things!

I'm really going to begin working on the emotional / mental aspect of this thing this weekend. For so long, I've wanted the band to do it's thing, but I wasn't willing to meet it half-way. I need to learn to do what I can and let the band be the "tool" that it was intended to be...not the cure all that I expected!

Ebox I'm sorry to hear about all of your problems!!!! My thoughts are with you. The frustration you must be feeling! All my fingers and toes are crossed for you:girl_hug:

How are you doing today, Crzytchr?? How is the nausea? are you able to eat? Overall, how are you feeling? hoping for the best.

Thank you for checking on me. The nausea is gone, thankfully. I am able to eat a little food. For future reference: No matter what anyone tells you, if you are having ANY type of surgery to your abdomen, have them unfill you, even if they say you don't have to. My band is tight right now from the swelling and it is kind of uncomfortable. I can't eat a lot of different things right now, so I just finished eating a bowl of grits for Breakfast. Overall, I feel better than when I was in the hospital. I feel like I am having a really, bad, crampy period, but NO UTERUS! UGH!

I hope everyone has a good start to their new year. Remember, you can do this!!!!!

Thank you for checking on me. The nausea is gone, thankfully. I am able to eat a little food. For future reference: No matter what anyone tells you, if you are having ANY type of surgery to your abdomen, have them unfill you, even if they say you don't have to. My band is tight right now from the swelling and it is kind of uncomfortable. I can't eat a lot of different things right now, so I just finished eating a bowl of grits for breakfast. Overall, I feel better than when I was in the hospital. I feel like I am having a really, bad, crampy period, but NO UTERUS! UGH!

I hope everyone has a good start to their new year. Remember, you can do this!!!!!

Congrats, Crzytchr! I, too, have had my hysterectomy on 12/4 but I was lucky. I kept the 5.25 cc with no additional swelling and I had no nausea. Its feels GREAT to be rid of mine (I had a prolapsed uterus - completely out of my body. It was very difficult to exercise with that issue). In fact I think this surgery was so much easier on me then the lap band surgery. Good for us :biggrin:

My band goals for January are:

1) Eat within 1500 calories daily

2) Weigh/measure everything I eat and journal on fitday.com

3) Excercise 3 times a week

4) Write about my experiences on this thread at least 4 times a week.

What are your January goals fellow strugglers???

I restarted my journey Dec 30, I have done so good, I cant even believe it myself. I didnt get in all my water yesterday, I only drank 40oz but today I am striving to do better.

Maybe its possible to lose weight and be satisfied. Who knew???? Still battling head hunger but arent we all.

Hope everyones having a great new year!!!!!!!

I restarted my journey Dec 30, I have done so good, I cant even believe it myself. I didnt get in all my Water yesterday, I only drank 40oz but today I am striving to do better.

Maybe its possible to lose weight and be satisfied. Who knew???? Still battling head hunger but arent we all.

Hope everyones having a great new year!!!!!!!

Wuhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu White06!! If I could write a happy dance into this note, I would!! Nice work - keep it up!! It's motivating to hear that you are doing well!!!

I must admit - I fell off the wagon with regards to the 5 day pouch test diet - at the end of yesterday, I went back to solids. Hehehe. I have decided not to do the pouch test diet to completion.

My restriction is still there (eating about 3/4 cup of the right foods - more if they are slider foods.) I have lost more weight this week.

A part of me is so excited to be 242.2lbs. I dont remember the last time I weighed that LITTLE. When I started the recommittment journey on 11/24 I was 255lbs. But at the same time I am realizing how much time i wasted. I went a year and a half without losing any weight because of my food choices. It's all downing on me and the realization is really setting in that my success is completely driven by my actions and food choices. I definitely could have been at goal by now (1.5 years wasted thinking that the band was a wasted investment rather than working the band.) But I am here now... :thumbup:

Right now, I need to work on going back to the gym. Havent done that yet and I am struggling to excercise. Are you exercising, fellow strugglers???? How do you motivate yourself to go to the gym??

Edited January 3, 200917 yr by Tabithan

Thank you for checking on me. The nausea is gone, thankfully. I am able to eat a little food. For future reference: No matter what anyone tells you, if you are having ANY type of surgery to your abdomen, have them unfill you, even if they say you don't have to. My band is tight right now from the swelling and it is kind of uncomfortable. I can't eat a lot of different things right now, so I just finished eating a bowl of grits for Breakfast. Overall, I feel better than when I was in the hospital. I feel like I am having a really, bad, crampy period, but NO UTERUS! UGH!

I hope everyone has a good start to their new year. Remember, you can do this!!!!!

I'm so glad you are feeling better, albeit some of the inconveniences you are suffering through!!!! Hope the band swelling went down and you are able to eat stuff other than the soft foods. Let us know!!!

When is your bandiversarry? Do you have a goal for your bandiversarry???

Tabithan, looking at your bmi ticker makes me realize that you are almost out of the obese range. What an awesome day will that be. This morning I realized that with the bmi I have today, my insurance company would have DENIED my surgery because I wouldn't have qualified! I am sooooo ecstatic. I am only 5 lbs heavier than you are, but you are taller than I am.

You continue to be a positive influence on those on this forum. You're an awesome cheerleader for us all!:thumbup:

I'm so glad you are feeling better, albeit some of the inconveniences you are suffering through!!!! Hope the band swelling went down and you are able to eat stuff other than the soft foods. Let us know!!!

When is your bandiversarry? Do you have a goal for your bandiversarry???

I posted above before I read this. I ate a little chicken, peas and potatoes today. I also had a small bowl of Special K with skim milk. My stomach is just real sensitive to the band anyway. I was one of the extremely lucky people who had restriction before ever getting a fill. Every day I feel a little better, I just want the cramps to end and to be able to LEAVE THE HOUSE!!!!:thumbup: I am trying to take it easy, but dangit, it is getting kind of old.

Tabithan, looking at your bmi ticker makes me realize that you are almost out of the obese range. What an awesome day will that be. This morning I realized that with the bmi I have today, my insurance company would have DENIED my surgery because I wouldn't have qualified! I am sooooo ecstatic. I am only 5 lbs heavier than you are, but you are taller than I am.

You continue to be a positive influence on those on this forum. You're an awesome cheerleader for us all!:thumbup:

Aw - thanks for the compliment!!! It feels good to support others as they try and accomplish their goals, in as much as I need everyone to support me in accomplishing mine.

When you said the BMI issue - I went and checked!! You are right - I am 3 BMI points away from being overweight!! WOW - how great that will feel!!!!!!!!!!!

You are doing excellent as well! 3lbs into the Valentine's day weight loss challenge. Way to go!!! Let's keep on keeping on!