Hey all,

I was banded Sept. 24. I've done okay, but the last couple months, I haven't lost any. I don't "blame" the band. I know I've been snacking/grazing on things I shouldn't.

I've had 5 or 6 fills I think. I'm at 6.5 in a realize band right now. (or close to it.)

I don't feel like I have any restriction...and that is causing me to lose hope and turn to snacking, eating junky food. At my last fill, I told her that I kept waiting to feel a FULL feeling, and I don't ever seem to get that. I can eat more than they recommend. I don't eat near what I used to, but in all honesty, I can eat a McDonalds double cheeseburger and probably a small fry. (I don't eat fast food normally, but I figure that is an example we can all picture!) I get no strange feelings, no feeling of a full pouch..nothing.

I'm fine if I'm just not at my sweet spot, but I'm stressing that something wasn't done right, or I've ruined something along the way...which is giving me that excuse to behave poorly.

Occasionally, usually in the morning, I'll have a tight feeling with my first bites of food, but that is it.

Now that I'm getting close to 5 months out, I'm finding myself getting depressed when people ask me how the weight loss is going, etc. I feel like a complete loser.

I know what I need to do, and I'm just not doing it. On the plus side, I do go to the gym...but I'm using the "not restricted" excuse to eat poorly.

Any advice...does restriction mean that I WILL physically feel like there is no way I could eat more than what is recommended, b/c right now...I just feel like I need to relay on will power.

Sorry to ramble..thanks for listening.

I am in the exact same spot. I was banded a week after you on Sept 30th and am only down 32 pounds. I am so discouraged. I do have some restriction feeling. I have had 2 fills for a total of 4.5 cc's in my band. I just feel I should be down more than this and am feeling sorry for myself. My problem is getting in the routine of regular excercise. I find myself get in the groove for a couple weeks, then fall off the wagon for a couple weeks.Frustrated with myself!

I haven't been banded yet, so I surely don't have much advice. One question does pop into mind when I read your post....

Are you drinking fluids while you eat your meals?

Hang in there and don't give up! I know that must be easier said than done. I know I'm fearful of feeling the same way you do once I'm banded.

hi there

sorry to hear you are having such a hard time. I was banded a month before you and I am convinced that I am losing this weight all on my own. I think of my band as a policeman,and I have control of what I eat. I just am afraid that if I overeat that I will get sick, so.. I don't. Good luck

Hey Chickie... I was banded a week before you...And you are a loser-- 34lbs worth!

Go get a fill. I am going to get one next week because I have very little restriction--only in the morning. I didn't gain over the holidays but I didn't lose anything from Thanksgiving till last week and this week.

But I have not been working out until the last 2 weeks (just got my treadmill). I also joined Daily Plate to track where my calories are coming from etc. It is a wake up call. Enter in your little grazing Snacks and see how bad they are-- that will wake up the bandster inside you. It did for me. A month of mashed potatoes/gravy and green bean casserole made me feel like a loser too-not in the good way. This is a learning process. We have to undo decades of poor eating habits and other issues--it is not going to happen in 5 months.

In addition-I committed myself to measuring out and weighing correct portions (4oz at a time). This has helped me realize that I need a fill.

You are on track for at least 1 lb a week though..... Keep your eye on the long term.... Kick yourself in your now 34lbs smaller ass and lets make February a fresh start! Julie-- YOU TOO GIRL. Let's focus gals! We're the September Samuri! And September SUPERSTARS.

I will check in with you both tomorrow-- Let me know how you did.

I was banded on Sept. 30th and although I have lost well. (73 lbs) I also feel like I'm doing this all on my own. I only have 3cc in a regular 10 cc lap band. My worry is how long can will power last before I give in to the hunger. I have never felt a full feeling. I have had trouble eating meat at times .

Midwest Chickie,

34lbs is not nothing. To prove my point, find something that weighs 30-35lbs and carry it with you everywhere you go tommorrow.

I am being banded in 2 weeks and am on 800 calorie pre-op diet. My wife, who is not really overweight asked me what I feel like. I showed her.

Based on the amount I am overweight I calculated the amount of extra weight she would have to carry to achieve a proportionate weight to my own.

I took 3 40lb bags of rock salt, tied them together, and had her wear them and try to walk. Now she knows why I have to do this.

What the hell MWCK, you jumped through the hoops, you survived surgery and recovery, so at this point you can do one of two things:

1. Go to the doctor, have him remove the Fluid, and eat hearty.

2. Take the next step forward. Success is not a straight line, you mess up, you do better tommorrow. If you lose 34lbs every 12 months, you will get there, maybe not as fast as everyone else, but faster than many, and definitely faster than those who give up.

Anyone who has ever quit smoking, drinking, drugs, or anything else worth giving up will tell you the same thing.

Life is multiple choice, when you really think about it.

-jabba

I was banded on Sept. 30th and although I have lost well. (73 lbs) I also feel like I'm doing this all on my own. I only have 3cc in a regular 10 cc lap band. My worry is how long can will power last before I give in to the hunger. I have never felt a full feeling. I have had trouble eating meat at times .

Healed32--Why not get another fill? Another thing to think about... Full is a relative word. Do I feel full like I used to? No. But I am not actually hungry. I just have to sit and think about it for a minute when I am done with my portion.

Also--are you taking a full 30 minutes to eat? I have found that when I do that I feel full. Also-- I keep experimenting with what makes me more full and for longer-but with the same 4oz. So far-- 3oz of grilled steak and 1oz of broccoli or spinach or asparagus works the best. I take the 2nd half of the steak and eat it the next day for lunch w/lettuce and red wine vinegar/oil italian dressing. I HAVE to eat small bites and slow or it could get stuck. I do the same with chicken cutlets. 1 cutlet is 3oz or so.... I cook the whole package and eat the other cutlets with salad for lunch.

It is a slow re-learning process of how and what to eat.

Have I lost a lot? Nope. Do I have bad band days where I feel like I am failing? Yes. Everyday is a new day for me to succeed with my band--I cannot look back at what I have not done but what I can do today. I did not go into surgery and come out cured of my food and eating issues because I have a band.

Hang in there!

From what I hear, this is the bandster hell part of it. I was banded 10/14/08 and am at a standstill until my next fill. I was steadily losing, but now I feel like I can eat anything I want. I try my best, but it is a struggle every day to not go back to my old ways. If you are able, sounds like it is time for a fill. I have 3 more weeks until I can get one. Good luck!

Midwestchickie,

HELLO FROM KANSAS CITY.....First, congratulations on your weight loss so far. You have a wonderful start.

Second... welcome to Bandster Hell.... I was there for 3 or 4 months. I felt like I was completely on my own.... no help from the band. I had hardley any restriction and could still eat more than I felt I should. It was a very long and depressing time. That being said.... I was very determined to make this band work, I was very, very restricted on what and how much I LET myself eat and drink. I followed those banding rules to the tee.

It finally passed and I got restriction "YES!!!!" Now my band is my best friend and we work very well together.. The band does its job of restricting, and I in turn restrict what goes into the stomach.

Keep up the good work, and maybe the next fill will give you the restriction that you need. It is so worth all of the time you spend in Bandster Hell..... I promise you.

Lois

Girl friend! I was banded 12-19 and 1st fill 1-28 and i feel the exact same way! What do we do

to snap out of this????good luck

Guess what? I had my surgery on Sept. 10th and I have 7cc's in my Realize band.

I know exactly what you are going through. Been going through it myself for the past 3-4 weeks. I can not wait to go to my next appt to discuss with my dr.

I too, have been eating foods that I do not need to be eating.(ice cream)

I too have thought- something must not be right.

So you are not alone. We just have to re-group and follow the rules. I had to start with drinking my Water. Every one of the rules is important. We just have to get back to the rules. (and talk to our drs. and get approp. fills)

Hey Chickie... I was banded a week before you...And you are a loser-- 34lbs worth!

Go get a fill. I am going to get one next week because I have very little restriction--only in the morning. I didn't gain over the holidays but I didn't lose anything from Thanksgiving till last week and this week.

But I have not been working out until the last 2 weeks (just got my treadmill). I also joined Daily Plate to track where my calories are coming from etc. It is a wake up call. Enter in your little grazing Snacks and see how bad they are-- that will wake up the bandster inside you. It did for me. A month of mashed potatoes/gravy and green bean casserole made me feel like a loser too-not in the good way. This is a learning process. We have to undo decades of poor eating habits and other issues--it is not going to happen in 5 months.

In addition-I committed myself to measuring out and weighing correct portions (4oz at a time). This has helped me realize that I need a fill.

You are on track for at least 1 lb a week though..... Keep your eye on the long term.... Kick yourself in your now 34lbs smaller ass and lets make February a fresh start! Julie-- YOU TOO GIRL. Let's focus gals! We're the September Samuri! And September SUPERSTARS.

I will check in with you both tomorrow-- Let me know how you did.

Thank you for the words of encouragement Kimmy! Just to let you know, I packed my gym bag today and am going there over my lunch hour. Lets fire back up!! :cursing:

Thank you for the words of encouragement Kimmy! Just to let you know, I packed my gym bag today and am going there over my lunch hour. Lets fire back up!!

SWEEET!!! I just got home and am changed to hop on the treadmill for some walking. I am still getting over that virus that is going around--feel like I want to puke but I'm not and really tired so I think a good sweat will break me out of it.

LET's DO IT!!! AWESOME!

Hey all,

I was banded Sept. 24. I've done okay, but the last couple months, I haven't lost any. I don't "blame" the band. I know I've been snacking/grazing on things I shouldn't.

I've had 5 or 6 fills I think. I'm at 6.5 in a realize band right now. (or close to it.)

I don't feel like I have any restriction...and that is causing me to lose hope and turn to snacking, eating junky food. At my last fill, I told her that I kept waiting to feel a FULL feeling, and I don't ever seem to get that. I can eat more than they recommend. I don't eat near what I used to, but in all honesty, I can eat a McDonalds double cheeseburger and probably a small fry. (I don't eat fast food normally, but I figure that is an example we can all picture!) I get no strange feelings, no feeling of a full pouch..nothing.

I'm fine if I'm just not at my sweet spot, but I'm stressing that something wasn't done right, or I've ruined something along the way...which is giving me that excuse to behave poorly.

Occasionally, usually in the morning, I'll have a tight feeling with my first bites of food, but that is it.

Now that I'm getting close to 5 months out, I'm finding myself getting depressed when people ask me how the weight loss is going, etc. I feel like a complete loser.

I know what I need to do, and I'm just not doing it. On the plus side, I do go to the gym...but I'm using the "not restricted" excuse to eat poorly.

Any advice...does restriction mean that I WILL physically feel like there is no way I could eat more than what is recommended, b/c right now...I just feel like I need to relay on will power.

Sorry to ramble..thanks for listening.

You know I felt like that until i received my last fill.. which was in december***for the first few weeks after the fill it seemed like i was cool then it loosened up and i could eat way more than like you said the recomended amt. When i went to get my last fill in Dec. she show'd me a sample plate of what i should be eating and of course i was like what the hell...lmao r u kidding me... yeah ok. after that fill which was 1cc i couldn't eat anything but a boiled egg thru the entire day.. and i could barly drink liquids.. so i figured i was too tight.. like some they try to tuff it out and prehaps it would get better, but nope.. i had to go back so they could remove some. I am steady loosing now but i was banded in may of 08 and it has taken me to this point where i am loosing steady. Please don't look at others progress and say hey that should be me....No it shouldn't be they are not you and everyone's body is diffrent so just stay up on your fills and cut the snacking out. If you do snack get the 100-calorie packs the weight will come off as long as you are doing your part, but it does take time to get to the sweet spot, and that means if you took another bite of food you would prob. gag..lol well that is how it is for me. Good luck