Welcome to the "Slow Loser" thread on LBT.

A few orders of business to begin.

First, we need to elect a leader. Someone who will voice our opinion clearly and with wisdom and humor. Our Leader will support us in our efforts and remind us of our NSV's and to not be discouraged.

I nominate - Vinesqueen. I can think of no on here on the board more eloquent and positive in her day to day outlook. (she has no idea about this, by the way - this is my own little invention - but I still think she should be our leader)

Second - we need to define "slow loser". I would propose that a slow loser is someone who is losing (or lost) less than 1 pound per week (average) during the first year of banding.

Third - Our Mission. Our Mission will be to stick together as a group. There is always strength in numbers. As we see newly banded people losing more in a month or six weeks than we have lost in 6 months to a year, we will join together and remind each other of how well we're doing. We'll chant the LBTSL ( that LapBand Talk Slow Loser) mantra of "It's not a race, it's not a race" over and over again.

Will you join me? Will you, a slow loser, a turtle in the weight loss race, make your voice heard amongst all these rabbits? Mostly will you let me know that I am not alone out here in bandland?

Looking forward to hearing from all of you.

I am so depressed, crying everyday, wondering why I had this surgery if I am ot losing weight. I can eat as much volume as I did in the past and I never feel full. I am so frustrated I wanna eat cake!

I had problems with the slimmies right after surgery but since I had my first fill I haven't had any problems at all. What is happening and why did I bother to have this surgery if it wasn't going to help. I have gained back 3 or 4 lbs since the fill.

Help!!!

You just need another fill!

I would love to join! I am a true slow loser. Got banded in 2001 and did great (-120 lbs) but put all but 40 back on due to problems with my mouth! I would say due to problems with band, but am being terribly honest here!

I know qualifications were losing slow the first year, but I have 5 yrs under my belt (or band) and would love to become a member.:clap2:

I am back on track because I found this website. Until now, I have done this band thing alone not knowing there was a support group. So, slow. Yes. FInally willing to try, while conscious? Yes. Can I be a member???

See we are not alone, we all have problems of some kind, and we are all here willing to help each other out. I am so glad to have this great support group here on line. Thank to all of you!!

I have decided to get my radiation started, talked with my Oncologist yesterday, and she still says I need to do chemo, but since I still don't know if I want to she said then I need to get started on radiation, then I could do the chemo after I am done with it. I was so glad she told me that, I now have some time to make up my mind on the chemo. I also just had a friend e-mail me an artical on radiation, and that people with breast cancer have a 60% greater chance of reaccurance if they start there radiation after 8 weeks from the date of the lumpectomy. This has made my decission to start the radiation now even stronger. Just an update for you all.

I have been eating better also, seem to be getting full a little faster, probably the stress.

Take care everyone, and thanks for being here for me.

Shelley:clap2:

Ok, I was banded on July 25th and woke up with the hiccups. They started bringing me broth and juice to drink within a few hours. I noticed I could only drink a couple of sips and it sat there for hours. I told one of the doctors about it and he x-rayed me. He said that it was going through the band, but much slower than normal. So, for me to sip slower and let some of the inflamation go down. The next day when everyone else was going to the hotel, they wanted me to stay until I could drink at least a full cup of broth within an hour and/or juice. I took a couple of sips and sat there.......it did not move. After a couple of hours, I threw it up. Once I threw it up, they x-rayed me again, with more doctors coming in to look at what was going on. They all agreed, they needed to go back in and fix me. They thought there was a tiny bit of slippage when I woke up with the hiccups and they would go in and anchor it down better. They told me if they go in and that was not the problem, they would have to take this band out and put a bigger one in. I really did not want a bigger band. They had the one that is 9.75 cm and would replace it with a 13cm. I knew if they did that, the only time the band would help me at all would be with a fill and while the fill was fairly new. I told them I much prefer the 9.75 and I was afraid that the 13 cm would cause my surgery to be "not effective for weight loss." Anyhow, they adjusted it and anchored it much better. I did keep the 9.75 band. For two weeks I drank liquids with only a tiny bit of yogurt. I lost 12 pounds in 2 weeks. I was told by someone I met in another Lap-band support room that she started eating scrambled eggs and cottage cheese on day 10. I was really getting hungry so I started eating that too. I was wearing a size 18 and they were getting too small for me just before the surgery. Now, they fit me just fine. I had refused to buy size 20s no matter what the situation was. I have another month before my fill. I don't have a doctor to do the fills. Does anyone know of a MD in the Houston area that does the fills with the floro? Please let me know.

I am very happy with 12 pounds gone in 2 weeks. This may not qualify me for your group, but because I have always lost weight slow, I identify with this group more than any other.

I have another question. Are you able to feel the little fill thing they implant in you forever???? Sometimes when I turn over in bed, I feel like it gets caught or something and it hurts. I know that sounds wierd, but true.

Thanks for any words of encouragement.

God bless

Wild

I was banded June 30th. I feel my port everytime I bend over or sit in a certain way. I also feel it everytime I turn over in the bed. I thought I was the only one. Is this normal?

TeresaL,

I too feel my port all the time. It drives me crazy sometimes, but hope with more weight loss it will get better with time. Mine is below the rib cage on the left side, and it is fairly close to the surface, my Dr. loves it, as he says it is really easy to fill since it is close.

Best wishes too you and your weight loss,

Shelley

I still feel my port, but it doesn't hurt unless my cat steps on it, or I bump myself directly on it.

It's really the place that takes the longest to quit hurting. It'll get better.

OK, at least it is not just me that feels the port all the time. I am not sure if I can stand that for the rest of my life though.

I just started eating scrambled eggs and a little bit of cottage cheese. Other than that, I just drink Slim Fast, GlycoLean shake, etc..... I have only been eating this for a couple of days and realized how hungry I have been. I honestly think I could have eaten a dozen eggs last night. Is this normal after only 2 weeks? I don't want to gain those 12 pounds back. I have to lose lots and lots of weight fast. Please give me any information that may help me. I can be honest in some of these lapband talk rooms. Believe me, other than my husband and the doctors that did this operation, nobody knows about this. I am so hungry. :hungry::hungry: and sleepy all the time. Please:help::help:

Thanks

Wild

The band is designed to work with fills. It's very likely you will not feel restriction and you will feel like you can eat what you always ate until you start getting fills, and it may take you a few to get where you are going.

Hi I am introducing myself. I have only lost 40lbs in the last year. I feel so bad at times. I am grateful that I am 40lbs lighter but I wish I would of lost more. I have only had 3 fills. Well in the long run if I lose 40lbs a year. I will be 120lbs less. Hopefully this year I can lose more

Donna

I got banded and rebanded and have lost almost 60 lbs over the last few years. I have about 25 to go. Of course I am my own worst enemy in this endeavor. Some days I can eat alot and then can't eat at all for 2 days afterward. The desire for chocolate and other goodies...misnomer, does not go away even if your capacity for it does. I have been seesawing for about a year with about 12 lbs. I have recently started to lose again and am trying to behave. My problem is that I tend to lose when I get sick too often. I have discovered chocolate soy milk though and a juicer. I may not be getting the fiber but I am getting the vegy vitamins and protein now. This keeps my energy up and resistence to colds in check. I had the boob reduction a few weeks ago and the difference in my self image has spurred on my motivation to reach my goal. It now seems within reach. I did not realize what an impact that would be. Of course there are pros and cons to everything including the band. But the alternative is self loathing and the feeling of always being totally out of control. Food is an addiction and our unfortunate bodies have crappy metabolisms...I don't care what any of the naturally thin people say about that. Anyway, although it has been a love/hate relationship with the band, I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Wow Hiedi thanks for sharing. I really thought the weight loss would be faster but I to do the same things you do. I really feel since surgery I obsess about food more.

The obsession is universal and is probably a terminal trait so deal with it. I always am thinking about my next meal even if I know that I won't be able to get it down. I intend to start talking this obsession over with my shrink tommorrow; I'm running out of good material for our sessions anyway. I'll let you know if he has any good insights.

Ok, i am only 6 weeks out....but according to my doctors scale i have only lost 5 lbs. I didn't lose anything with my 2 week pre-op shake diet either. I am walking 30 minutes a day atleast twice a week - i shoot for 3 or 4 but don't always make it. I know it's more than 1lb a week - it's 1.2/wk....but i still feel like a slow loser. I go for my first fill on Monday ~ maybe that will change my outcome? I sure hope so!! I need to belong somewhere :cry