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 Lori,

I know you must be frustrated, I have been there. So tell me, what are you eating? How often are you eating? Are you eating enough? How much have you lost and regained since being banded. Maybe I can shed some light on it for you but I will need alittle more info.

Ruthi

Hi there. Thanks for responding. I've been recording my food intake. Here was yesterday...

1/2 cup organic yogurt (8 g. protein) with a few fresh blueberries and raspberries and 1TB granola (low fat)

1 cup coffee with creamer

1 piece Melba toast (whole grain) with 1 TB natural Peanut Butter (no sugar or salt)

1/3 cup cottage sheese (lowfat)

I cup Soup (tomato base with veggies and turkey)

1 bite lemon muffin

(from KFC): 1 grilled strip chicken

1 serving mashed potatoes and gravy

hot chocolate (sugar free) with scoop Protein powder

That's it!! Am I eating incorrectly???

Here's 3/2:

yogurt- full cup

2 fesh peach slices

Eating Right soup (140 cal) + scoop Protein powder

5 pieces chocolate

1/2 cup green Beans with cheese

1 sugar-free pudding

1/4 cup cottage cheese with 1/4 cup salsa

AND that's it for Monday!

Please let me know your thoughts. I am drinking as much as I can in between eating times. I probably get about 40 ounces of Water in, but my band is tight so I have to sip carefully!

I work out 3-5 times a week at a high intensity. I do Jazzercise which incorporates weights, circuit training and core training.

Please help if you can!

I have a doctor appt. Mon but I don't know what they can say. My band is doing what it is supposed to, I think!

BTW- I was banded at 233. I got down to 198 in Jan. of 2008. I started gaining very quickly this Dec. and am now up to 216 today. How can this be happening? Is there a metabolic explanation? Thyroid? ANy help is appreciated!

Lori

Lori, it could be any number of things. If you are logging your food, what is it saying your calorie intake is? If you are working out 3-5 days per week at a high intensity, you may not be eating enough. It looks like you may be consuming less than 1000 per day and that isn't nearly enough for that kind of activity level. You may want to add a couple of Snacks and try to get up to 1200-1500 per day and see if that starts you weight loss again. Try it for a week. Your body may think you are starving it and holding on to everything you have.

Oh, and I know it is difficult, but try to increase that Fluid level also. You body will also retain fluid if you aren't consuming enough liquids.

Well, thanks for the input. I am at about 1200 calories. I'm not sure I CAN eat more. Maybe my band is too tight? I'll see what the doctor says on Monday, too...

Well dangit Lori, it sounds like you are doing it right, then. So, I am sorry I can't help. Good luck and let us know what the doc says.

I'll let you know. Thanks for checking back!

Hi yall, I have been reading your blogs and amazed how I am not the only one. I just got off the phone with Dr. they have put me on a liquid diet and phentermine for a month to help get my miner expnded pouch back to normal. I hope I can stick with a liquid diet for a month if not they will have to take the majority of the fluid out of my pouch. We might think that I have been eating to much food that will go thru the band because i have it so tight,, that is what happens when you have it to tight and then it the pouch starts to stretch. So plan is liquid diet for month then take a little out to get back to being able to eat hard protein to stay and fill me up for a hour in my pouch. I hope this works have any of yll been through this and what was the result.

Congratulations on deciding you want to recommit to your band. Good luck on the month of liquids. It will seem like a long time, but the rewards of being able to use your band again will be worth it.

Yes, you aren't the only one. I am so frustrated. I went back a month ago and then doctor put me on Metformin twice a day thinking that might help to jumpstart the weight loss, but the weight hasn't budged. I'm going to ask to be unfilled a bit I guess- I can't eat anything except soup and frozen yogurt, and I have to even do that slowly. I work out...and I'm still stuck. I originally lost about 45 and have now gained 12 pounds back. How can that BE? I don't EAT! Aarrgghh- my friend had the sleeve in September and she's lost 90 pounds in these 7 months. I am just so angry- a failure again...

Lori

I've been reading all these posts for about an hour and thought I should join in. I'm struggling. I had my surgery in Oct. 2007. Did okay at first. Lost 50 lbs. Then in about August 08 it stopped. Then in Sept 08, i had unrelated surgery but had my fluid taken out to get through all of that. Had a little put back in in Jan 09, but still nothing. I've gained about 15lbs back and I've just been stagnant for months. Last week I did get another fill so I'm hoping that will help,

Greetings from Virginia.

I was banded on August 13, 2007 at 283lbs. My lowest weight was 264 in May 2008. I am currently 274. For the past year, I have done absolutely every wrong that I could have done wrong. Now I am back on the band wagon and ready to get down to business.

Have been seeing a counselor for about 6 wks and saw my Dr. today. They are going to do a fluro exam on the 24th to check my band, pouch, etc. and my esophagus because I've had some swallowing problems. Going to my local support group on Monday and have found this website. Have also started back at the Y-doing Water aerobics and treadmill. I'm 60 yrs old and have arthritis so the exercise is difficult for me. I'm journaling and counting calories this time as well as drinking as much of the H2O as I can get down.

I hope to be able to give as much as I take in the help department. I want so much to be successful, lose weight and feel like a human being again.

And the journey begins!

Sevesgirl

Well, I am joining WW this Saturday to get off the rest of my weight. I was "banded" in July of 2006 and have lost about 30 percent of my excess weight with very little effort. Everything stalled since then because of my "very little effort". I figured I would try WW because of the fact that I don't need as much food as before WLS to feel and stay satisfied. I have this tool, I just need to use it!

Sometimes I feel as if I should have had a malabsorptive surgery so that I could not absorb as many calories. When I think like this it gets me in trouble because I begin to rebel against my band. I spoke to my husband today because I really felt like I wanted a revision to another surgery. Then he reminded my why I didn't want that in the first place. I wanted my digestive system intact. I felt better when he said that and now feel like I need to work this band. That's why I am joining WW. Weekly weigh-in for accountability, band for portion control, and support from the group.

Thanks for reading this...let's remember what the band can do for us if we respect it!!!

Edited April 10, 200917 yr by Bella8891

Failure? Plz I have you beat and I'm not proud. Banded 10/04 and 5/09 I am 6 lbs under where I started w/2 fills ever! Wow...can I actually start over???

Failure? Plz I have you beat and I'm not proud. Banded 10/04 and 5/09 I am 6 lbs under where I started w/2 fills ever! Wow...can I actually start over???

Can you start over? Sure! The thing that has helped me more than anything else is using an online site to journal my food each day. It takes a little time to start, but now I only spend about 3 min a day inputing my food for the day. You will be surprised at what you consume each day and where the calories are coming from. You may find you are eating more than you think, or even not eating enough. I consume 1200-1500 calories per day. If you want to begin again from scratch, I would suggest the 5 day pouch test. It should get you back on track. Then after you have done that, you can see how you feel when you eat foods again. What sticks? How much before you are satisfied? How long before you are hungry again? This will help you determine if you need another fill or maybe you have been too tight all this time. Try the pouch test and let me know what happens. It can jump start weight loss.

Surgical Weight Loss 5 Day Pouch Test

Cindy

i was banded on 05-06-09 and already had an unfill. I got food stuck. I ate food i had no business eating. when I went to get my unfill i had lost 9 lbs. since the unfil ive gained 3 back...ugh

i get my first fill at the end of this month. I dont want to be a failure. I really am glad to see that I am not out here alone. And we are not failures we just made BAD choices. We have to remember the band is a tool and we paid lots of money and should use it....