Hi,

I was banded back in August and from then up to my first fill I was able to loose over 50 lbs. mainly through excessive exercising and the liquid diet.

Since the filling began I have been back 6 times for adjustments and at $200 a visit is money I can not afford.

Anyhow, we increased the filling until food was getting stuck and was quite painful and caused me to bring the food back up.

A little reduction last week an one would think it should have been perfect.

I still get food stuck sometimes but am able to put up with the pain and inconvenience. My problem now is that I can still eat anything I wish. My poor eating habits are still there.

I can still eat too fast, not chew and am able to over eat on special occasions.

Yesterday, I was able to have 2 T bone steaks with salad quite easily and can digest bread and cabonated drinks.

All of these things I was told would be problems.

Since the band filling began I have put back 7 lbs (mainly in the past 3 weeks) and I still continue with 5 hours exercise each day. I believe something has gone wrong but don't know what to do next. Can the band become dislodged or something similar. I am becoming very frustrated with the outcome and am getting no feed back from the doctor, just requests for more follow up appointments $$$$$ :tongue2:

Edited December 14, 200817 yr by Sixpack

I too, aswell as alot of others are still struggling with the right amount of fill.The question is not how much can you eat, but how little can you eat and not fill hungry.My suggestion to you and anyone else who has trouble controlling your portion size is do not put more on your plate than you should have.Maybe 4oz of meat 1/4 cup of veggy and 1/4 cup of fruit.Take small bites,chew slow and savor the flavor.After 20 minutes just stop eating.Wait an hour if you are still hungery drink a glass of Water wait another hour if you are still hungrey eat an apple or snake.

The band has not failed you,you need to make some adjustments in your bad eating habits.It is not the purpose of the band to be so tight your eyes pop out when you over eat.It is to help you feel satisfied on less food for a longer period of time,and you may never feel that full tight feeling you are looking for,just not stomach growling hungrey.

Edited December 22, 200817 yr by Bamagal

First off I have to re-itterate what others have said. The band is a tool not the cure. This whole process will be lots of work. Everyone is different also. What one person can eat verse another will be different. But how you make it work is by chosing to eat the right things. Chosing to drink the right things. It sounds like to me you have been testing the band a lot which also can mean that you may have stretched your pouch or caused slippage in your band. One of the rules my surgeon gave me about the band is to "NEVER" have carbonation again. It's not that I cannot drink it but rather it can cause slippage and errosion of the band. Also as you already know you need to chew chew chew your food so that it is broke down when you swallow and doesn't cause blockage. Another big piece of advise to follow is to get real life support that is not online support. Remember how you felt before you were banded and why you were willing to get the band. Because you were not happy. You were willing to change your eating habbits and that is what helped along with the exercise to drop the weight. Now your still exercising but the weight is not coming off so that means you have to change your eating habbits again. You don't have to be on the liquid diets but certain your not going to be losing weight when having lots of soda and 2 t-bone steaks.

I really wish you the best of luck.

Thanks again for all of your replies and for your encouragement.

I must admit now that I do feel somewhat guilty and that perhaps I have been testing the band rather than using it as a help for the weight loss.

I must point out though that the steak night was the one and only occasion (I swear) and all other meals have been within the guidelines given by the dietitian. My consumption of soda is not great and is only a can of diet coke a couple of days a week. My worry was that it was without any complications which gave me cause to think that there was a problem with my banding which has been my thoughts since day one.

Through this forum I now realise I may have several issues to face up to and will raise them all when I next visit the dietitan in the new year. I will keep you informed.

Again my thanks, and wish you all the best throughout and beyond this festive season.

cheers

Edited December 23, 200817 yr by Sixpack

Thanks again for all of your replies and for your encouragement.

I must admit now that I do feel somewhat guilty and that perhaps I have been testing the band rather than using it as a help for the weight loss.

I must point out though that the steak night was the one and only occasion (I swear) and all other meals have been within the guidelines given by the dietitian. My consumption of soda is not great and is only a can of diet coke a couple of days a week. My worry was that it was without any complications which gave me cause to think that there was a problem with my banding which has been my thoughts since day one.

Through this forum I now realise I may have several issues to face up to and will raise them all when I next visit the dietitan in the new year. I will keep you informed.

Again my thanks, and wish you all the best throughout and beyond this festive season.

cheers

Don't feel 'guilty.' We are here to support you and 'call you' on stuff when we see it. No one is ever hear to beat you up, and we will always strive to keep you honest. Keep on trucking and doing your best. We're here to help you be the BEST success you can be. Never take what is said here personally and know we have your best interests at heart. Florida Pete is right on the money... with all he said...