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

Tabithan, I don't know if I will be able to get on tomorrow, so good luck on Friday with your surgery and be sure to check in when you can to let us know how you are doing.

Thank you!!!!!!! I will let you guys know how it goes. Good luck as well with yours!!!!!! Let us know that you got through it OK!!! Sending warm thoughts your way....

WEBKAT, BAYOUGIRL, SLIM1 and SKHOPP - Where are you hiding?? where's your daily update?? how are you doing on your goals??

WE MISS YOU!!! Please check in - good, bad or ugly (stealing from IBBanded's phrase... :huh2: )

Edited December 19, 200817 yr by Tabithan

SKHOPP - How did it go at the dr's appt? I think you were going yesterday??? Is the band blown or is it OK??? hoping for the best.

Hey guys!!!

I am home - all went well with the surgery. Just a lil sleepy. I also got a lil fill!!

See you all SOON

Hello, I am a medical/surgical specialist for over 25 years. I am sorry that you are having trouble with this procedure. There are successes, but I see too many patients in my practice that have been disappointed with the results. Personally, I prefer a different approach. While I appreciate the efforts on the surgical community to bring innovative procedures to the forefront, I am not impressed with the basic philosophy or the overall results of lap-banding. The problem with obesity is much broader in scope than simple lap-banding and giving basic instruction on eating and exercise habits. Don't be discouraged about the failure, but look at it as an opportunity to succeed, albeit perhaps by another method. When your "toolbox" of knowledge is full, then you can go forward with enthusiasm and success. However, if you have not been taught the highly researched reasons that obesity is at near epidemic levels, then when lap-banding and basic education and exercise do not work, you get discourage and you ask the question, "what is the matter with me?" Well, the truth is, there is nothing wrong with you. The problem has to do more with external factors that influence every aspect of your life. For example, why can a T-bone steak in one hand be one of the worst foods you can put into your body, and a T-bone steak in the other hand be one of the better foods that you can consume. What is the difference? Or why is over 90% of what you buy at the grocery store harmful to you and will contribute to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, caner, and other major diseases. I recently worked with a group of Type 2 diabetics and got most of them off their diabetic, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol medications in three months. This is much too exhaustive to discuss here, but you can feel free to email me at drtomreed@earthlink.net for a more detailed discussion. Please be encouraged!

Glad to see everything went well. OOO and a fill?! YAY!

checking in. Progressing well since the little procedure. On some pain meds. Havent been tracking what I eat but started again today, on fitday.com. Ate 3/4 cup of Cereal and I am OVER STUFFED. I think the fill may be working and I may need to cut my Breakfast portion to half cup - arrrghhh - cos I have mental hunger but the stomach is getting too full.

How are you all doing, fellow strugglers????

I am glad to hear you are doing well. I am going in tomorrow morning and more than a little nervous. I'm not sure what all they will find when they get in there. There is nothing like pre op and signing consent forms to make a person crazy. On top of that I HAVE PINK EYE!!! ugh. But on the good side, I have lost another pound. I will maybe document it in the morning if I feel up to it. Probably not, though, since I can't have coffee. Goodnight all!

Tabithan - Glad to hear your procedure went well on Friday. Yes, that fill will be good for you, it is a mental thing with me, I have a good tight feel and only a few bites of the solid food really make me full quick -makes me know that the band is doing its job. YAY! Hang in there you will start to know how it feels to be almost full and know when to stop eating, won't take near as much to fill up the stoma where the band is.

Crzytchr - Praying for you with your procedures and pink eye today. Keep us posted when you are able.

I am happy to report....drumroll please....my first week of going back to workout at curves has paid off. Last Monday my weight was 258 today it is 253! WOOHOO! Could be Water weight, who knows, but I am THRILLED the scales are down 5 pounds! Makes me more inspired to KEEP AWAY from all the devilish demons of food all around me here this holiday week!

Good luck to us all. I will have to change my exercise routine this week, Curves is closed the entire week and I vow to walk either outside for 20-30 minutes everyday or on the treadmill inside. Other goals listed below.

My goals for today:

• Drink at least 80 oz water
  
• Exercise at least 30 minutes a day - on the treadmill at home or walk the dog outside for 20-30 minutes.
  
• Track every bite that goes in my mouth (The Good, The Bad and the Ugly) on fitday
  
• Track here on this thread or just sit and read here when tempted to eat tonight when the food demons strike!
  

Good luck to us all and of course MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Oh my goodness, I just have to say how HAPPY I am to have found this thread!

I haven't been banded yet, I have my first visit on January 12th, but already I'm thinking into the future, knowing how much I tend to overeat. That is my biggest fear, that I fail myself and the band.

Wow, you all really inspire me so much!

A little about myself, I am 30 years old, 5'3" and I currently weigh about 276 pounds. I've decided to get banded because I really don't want to get up to 300 pounds. I'd like to change my life, once and for all.

Again, I am so inspired by reading your posts. And honestly, I don't look at what you've gone through as "failing" so much as you have finally faced your habits dead on and are realistic about your challenges with the band. Hearing your honest dialogue is like listening to myself.

Thanks, Ladies. I look forward to reading more about your successes and sharing mine with you!

-music

So, as dissapointed as I have been in myself this last month, I am happy to say that I did not cancel my fill appointment as I wanted to do since last night (when I realized that I would have to step on a scale)- I went ahead and did it, kept the appointment, faced my clinicians and got a fill - another 1 cc added - I am up to 2.5. I will also keep my appointment in a month and see him more regularly.

I noticed from others on this site that they seem to get fills every 4 weeks until they hit the sweet spot - so I will continue. I had an illness and got bad - really bad. I realized that I have not gained any weight, just stopped loosing and that made me sad. No more - I am joining Weight Watchers At Work on 1/8/09 (although, I swore I was getting this surgery to never step in another meeting again - I KNOW differently now.

So, here is to a New Year and for all of us to continue the good journey!

:biggrin:

Hey Aquameliza,

I hear what you're saying about the fills, I worry about that. I haven't had my surgery yet, but I have my first appointment on January 2nd.

I hope you don't get too dissappointed with yourself ! I do sometimes, and then I notice that it puts me in an even worse mood. But, if I remember that I'm a normal person who has undertaken a great challenge with this weight loss program, then I don't feel so bad when I slip. The point is to continue to communicate with your doctor, find your sweet spot, and let the folks at Weight Watchers support you. That's what they're there for. :smile:

Was your illness related to the band? I hope you don't mind me asking, I'm curious as to how others are handling the band. It helps me not be so frightened for when I have my own surgery.

Good luck to you!

-music

Hello, I am a medical/surgical specialist for over 25 years. I am sorry that you are having trouble with this procedure. There are successes, but I see too many patients in my practice that have been disappointed with the results. Personally, I prefer a different approach. While I appreciate the efforts on the surgical community to bring innovative procedures to the forefront, I am not impressed with the basic philosophy or the overall results of lap-banding. The problem with obesity is much broader in scope than simple lap-banding and giving basic instruction on eating and exercise habits. Don't be discouraged about the failure, but look at it as an opportunity to succeed, albeit perhaps by another method. When your "toolbox" of knowledge is full, then you can go forward with enthusiasm and success. However, if you have not been taught the highly researched reasons that obesity is at near epidemic levels, then when lap-banding and basic education and exercise do not work, you get discourage and you ask the question, "what is the matter with me?" Well, the truth is, there is nothing wrong with you. The problem has to do more with external factors that influence every aspect of your life. For example, why can a T-bone steak in one hand be one of the worst foods you can put into your body, and a T-bone steak in the other hand be one of the better foods that you can consume. What is the difference? Or why is over 90% of what you buy at the grocery store harmful to you and will contribute to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, caner, and other major diseases. I recently worked with a group of Type 2 diabetics and got most of them off their diabetic, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol medications in three months. This is much too exhaustive to discuss here, but you can feel free to email me at drtomreed@earthlink.net for a more detailed discussion. Please be encouraged!

Wow, I just wanted to reply to "Doc"'s comments! (I know, i'm a little late, but)

First of all, thank you for taking the time to write out this response. I agree wholeheartedly with you. I can remember the time I fasted on the Master Cleanse (something I definitely do not recommend) I began to look around and see how much time out of the day I was bombarded with images specifically designed to make me overeat. Since I consider myself a food addict, it was a huge awakening for me!

The idea that yes, 90% of what is available in the grocery store does so much harm to your body, and that healthier foods are 4 and 5xs more expensive than unhealthy foods is really outrageous.

I'm glad I happened to scroll up and read this post. Thank You!

-music

Hello-No, not related - kidney stone promptly followed by pertussis - tough time, but much, much better now.

I am glad to hear you are doing well. I am going in tomorrow morning and more than a little nervous. I'm not sure what all they will find when they get in there. There is nothing like pre op and signing consent forms to make a person crazy. On top of that I HAVE PINK EYE!!! ugh. But on the good side, I have lost another pound. I will maybe document it in the morning if I feel up to it. Probably not, though, since I can't have coffee. Goodnight all!

Hi Cryzytchr - How are you?? how did your procedure going? How are you doing??