hi there everyone, i was banded on the 8th august 2008 and since then have had two fills now got 4cc but have lost absolutely nothing, not even a lb and in fact probably weigh a tiny bit more, about 4lb more, i have struggled to excercise as i have two young girls who get up about 6 every morning and whereas before i would excercise at the gym from 7-8.30am now that time has gone and in the evening by the time the girls are in bed by 8 i'm totally shattered, so i know i need to improve that. 5 years ago i was a marathon runner now im 15 stone, morbidly obese and unhappy. I really wanted the band to work for me but now feel lost, no real idea about what i should or shouldn't be eating or why i've plateued before even starting. I thought by Christmas I would at least have lost a stone but to weigh more than when i began this journey is heartbreaking to me, does nyone have any suggestions, ideas, help or support?:tongue2:

hi there everyone, i was banded on the 8th august 2008 and since then have had two fills now got 4cc but have lost absolutely nothing, not even a lb and in fact probably weigh a tiny bit more, about 4lb more, i have struggled to excercise as i have two young girls who get up about 6 every morning and whereas before i would excercise at the gym from 7-8.30am now that time has gone and in the evening by the time the girls are in bed by 8 i'm totally shattered, so i know i need to improve that. 5 years ago i was a marathon runner now im 15 stone, morbidly obese and unhappy. I really wanted the band to work for me but now feel lost, no real idea about what i should or shouldn't be eating or why i've plateued before even starting. I thought by Christmas I would at least have lost a stone but to weigh more than when i began this journey is heartbreaking to me, does nyone have any suggestions, ideas, help or support?:tongue2:

Hi Annika

You have to stay positive with the lap band it will work for you as long as you work with it. Start a new exercise pattern it really helps. I just hit my one year mark and 4 fills and i am finally at my sweet spot. I do Zumba 3 to 4 times a week and really watch my food intake and portion sizes. I am a slow loser and have been thru the depression but I pick myself up and keep going because I am serious about losing this weight and reaching my goal. You can do this:smile2:

annika - *CAUTION-lengthy post* Don't know if I'll be of much help, but, here's my story. I was banded May 21, 2007 - 19 mos out, and I have lost about 10 pounds - and that was PRE-op. Not a pound since surgery. I toy with the same 2-3 pounds up and down, up and down, up and down. However, I look at it as a success because without the band, there is no doubt that I would be much heavier. It's not helped me to lose, YET; but has kept me from gaining. I know EXACTLY how you feel. I am frustrated, depressed, disgusted and feel like a total failure. I live in a small town - where everyone knows your business so I feel like people are looking at me everywhere I go and thinking "I thought she had a weight loss surgery". Yep, I did and I'm not a big success YET. But, I am working at it - I have given up several times; however, I am determined to make this work. I am trying to make better food choices and start doing some sort of exercise. I have found the band to control my portion sizes, I just make poor choices - not allowing the band to do its entire job. And, I can count on 1 hand the number of times I have exercised the last 6 months - sad, hey? I went thru a period, or several of them, of denial - thinking "this stupid band", why isn't it working for me - WELL, I have admitted to myself that I am not allowing the band to work for me. It's not a miracle cure - was hoping it would be.

Just yesterday, for Christmas, my mom got me a book called Prevention 2008 SHORTCUTS TO BIG WEIGHT LOSS - great book so far - have not been able to put it down. Anyways, the basic theory in this book (which I have heard several times lately) is that (3) 10 minutes of exercise a day are just as beneficial, if not more so, than a 30-40 minute exercise bout. The idea being, it's far easier to find 10 minutes here and there to exercise than it is to find 30-40 minutes. Which is true for me. Granted my kids are 10 and 13, and have always slept in in the mornings. So, I am fortunate. Having little kids that rise at the crack of dawn (my sister has 2 boys ages 3 and 4 that do this) is tough. I'm not going to preach to you about exercise because #1 I don't exercise and #2 I don't know your situation, BUT, I truly think that a lot of my "lack of weight loss" is directly related to my lack of exercise. If I just moved more - I expect that it would start to come off.

That being said, please don't feel that you are a failure, and know that you are NOT alone. You are very new to the band - much newer than I - give it time. Sorry for the length of my post - wanted to fill you in on my story.

Good luck to you - you can do this. Post anytime - many, many people are here for you - most with VERY good advice.

Stephanie