Hello everyone.

I had my surgery April 2007. I lost 72lbs. from my highest weight and all was good.

I've let 13 lbs creep back on and just can't seem to keep my motavation up to get it off. I can eat more and have the hunger back....I really hate that.

I came back here for some advice and hopefully some experienced banders to help me through this.

One thing I've noticed is that there are more people complaining about the lap band and talking about how it's not good after the initial banding.

I haven't had any problems with the band...I guess I'm lucky but I have had problems with motivation and trying to eat enough Protein and someone to help me along. I don't have anyone close except for online.

Anyway...I'm not really happy about seeing all of this advice about the gastric sleeve is better..etc. or the lapband isn't good.

I need help and advice about the lapband...which this site is all about..

Thanks for listening.

Do you think you need an fill? It sounds like a little tweaking could get you back on track.

Hello and welcome back! I understand where you are coming from, I think it happens to a lot of us. The first year or so, we are so excited about our new tool and we are really following all of the guidelines closely and doing wonderful. Then, we start to get a little lax with what we are doing and not as motivated as we were in the beginning.

Have you tried keeping track of what you are eating? I know that always helps me when I plateau or fall of the wagon a bit. Sites like www.sparkpeople.com , www.fitday.com , and www.thedailyplate.com offer great free online food tracking.

Another good tool with the band, that I used many times to help me, was the five day pouch test. To read more about it, go here: Surgical Weight Loss 5 Day Pouch Test

I also need to get re-motivated! I had to have a complete un-fill in June and have been going in for regular fills since but CAN NOT get my groove back. Getting very dicouraged again since I am gaining instead of losing. I know what i need to do but just keep slipping back to very bad habits.

I am going back to the basics and starting over!

Today is a new day! The sun is up the scale is down!

I pulled out all my Lap Band infromation and going to re- read it and begin a new TODAY!

So I too am gonna be watching for any and all advise given here.

Thanks for the replies.

I have been lax in writing down what I eat. When I first had the lap-band it was soooo freeing NOT to have to weigh, measure or write anything down...and I still lost weight.

I want that again!

I've not been working at losing weight..it's totally my fault. I just can get a method down for staying full and not wanting to eat all the time like BEFORE the band.

I'm going to exercise some,,that should help.

Is there a face book page for 2-3 years out people? If anyone knows of the link please send it to me.

I think staying close with those that are doing well is a big help..at least for me it works wonders.

When was your last fill? I know that I have been told that I should come in every 6 months once I reach goal weight. They will draw all the Fluid out and then re-fill to amount it should be. Apparently, over time, small amounts can "evaporate" (for lack of a better word). So if you haven't had a fill, GO.

The Lap Band isn't that good? Your band hasn't failed you. I hate to be blunt, but it sounds like you've failed your band. It's only a tool, not a magic potion.

Start journaling every bite of anything you put in your mouth. Use one of the free online journals. You'll find you are eating way too many calories. I find it helpful to make notes of what time of day I eat (meals, Snacks, random bites, whatever). You may see a pattern of "falling off the wagon" at a certain time of day (for me, it was consistently once I got home but before I could get dinner prepared and on the table. I learned to have one ounce of low fat cheese as soon as I walked in the door and then I was good. It made a difference.

You need to work on your foods. Go back to the basics. And even if I sounded a little blunt, I and everybody else is here to help. We all have to help each other.

Susan's suggestion of looking into doing the 5 day pouch test is a great one. It just might give you what you need. After that, go back to basics: ie, journaling your food, following the LB rules your doc first gave you. As ParrotheadCathy stated, go back to your doc....maybe you do need another fill. Good Luck!!!!

I haven't had any luck, really, with my band either. I've had it for a few months, had one fill, and i just don't seem to be losing anything. I don't eat all that much. And I get lots of exercise. And I have a lot of sex, which i guess counts as exercise,..at least the way i do it anyway!!! Terry ______________________________________ Banded April 2009

I agree with the previous posters... go back for a fill. I haven't had my surgery yet but my doctor suggest's that it will take 3 years to loose with fills all through that time. Please take the time to check back in with your surgeon and I wish you nothing but the best.

I really appreciate the replies but I want to clear up a misunderstanding.

I love my band. I think it's me just getting comfortable with the ease of doing nothing. That's why the 13 lbs have slipped back.

What I was saying about not happy with the band is this...I AM Happy with MY BAND..but others are posting they arent.

I use to come here and get great advice, everyone was happy or working on trying to loose their weight.

Now,.,,when I come on this site,,there's more negativity toward the band and many jumping ship to the gastric sleeve.

What ever works for them is fine by me but I feel if this is a lap band forum it's better for everyone if the talk isn't so negative toward the band.

I'm in the medical profession and if you tell someone something won't work, they look sick, etc....they will start believing what you say even without having any issues.

I feel that we all need to have a positve attitude about what we chose for our weight loss. If you're having medical issues by all means change or get it fixed/removed.

I KNOW I need to adjust my eating, journaling, and back to the bandster rules...I just needed an ear to listen and some good advice, which I got.

Hopefully we can all stay accountable and enjoy the healthy life we now have because of the lapband.

Thanks to all and great success.

Tantus, go get another fill. One fill probably hasn't got you to your sweet spot. And, like I already suggested in my post above, journal. You might just have a surprise waiting for you. It's easy to get complacent and eat too many calories because you aren't really keeping track anymore. My breakfast went from 190 EVERY MORNING to more than 200, more than 250. Once I saw that and changed that and added the little bit of cheese when I first get home, things started in the right direction again instead of just barely moving along.

To be honest, I think its a part of any weight loss surgery experience. After four years with my band I find the same. I have sat on perhaps 10lb more I'd really like to lose for 2 years now, and I cannot lose it. I could lose it if I dieted. But I'm useless at it, just like before surgery. I last a day or two and then fall off the wagon.

I havent gained, becuase I'm a really dedicated exerciser, I think god about 20 times a day for that. I never miss a session and I work REALLY hard. I do very very intense circuit training and interval running most of the time and when I'm being "lazy" I might just go out and run, steady pace, for 45 minutes a day.

That keeps my weight absolutely stable.

But like you, I wish I could get going again to lose like I did in that first year. Even though everyone tells me I dont need to lose anymore, that 10lb would be fantastic.

I dont know the answer, there's not enough you can do to shock your body into losing when you've already been on a low calorie diet for 2 years, your metabolism has adjusted, you dont need as many calories to survive in a day as you once did, and you probably need less than other people your weight you have never lost weight. So it comes down to hard slog.

Hey ladies, I am 3+ years out too, at goal and loving it.

I am however about 10 pounds more than I have been at my lowest. I miss that low, but so far not enough to either up my exercise or adjust my daily intake.

Fill, I guess if I considered more fill it would have to be a TINY amount as I am probably just perfect now.

I was also considering a TT, but at my age 45, maybe good enough is good enough. I don't know!

So, I hear you and understand completely.

Here are our options:

go for more - exercise

go for less - food adjustment

go for fill - .5 or something might just tweak it.

I'll keep watching this to see what we all do.

I look great in clothes. I feel awesome. I just have to decide if 10 pounds is worth the effort.

BTW, I LOVE MY BAND TOO! Who hoo!

hugs

Paula

What a great question and thread!

I agree that there are a lot of posters on here that suggest modifications to RNY, sleeve, etc. While it doesn't bother me, I can totally see where some bandsters might get "convinced" that the band doesn't work, etc.

Truth is, the band isn't for everyone. Luckily for the OP and myself, we love it and it works for us. Some definitely need other options and I think hearing those options on this forum could help someone.

To the OP, what I do when I "get in a rut" or lose motivation is CHANGE UP MY ROUTINE-Somehow, some way. It REALLY works!!

For example, I have been going to the same gym for years. I decided to join 24 Hour Fitness and get a new trainer. BOY did that work, LOVE it! It TOTALLY changed my attitude, brought back my motivation, everything.

Then I got a little tired of going every day, listening to the same music on my ipod. So I deleted EVERY song, and reloaded it with lots of music I haven't heard of in YEARS! Everytime I now get on my cardio machine, I look forward to the next song on my ipod..have no idea what it's going to be.

Little things like that make such a HUGE difference for me. I need "change" and change brings renewed energy and motivation.

I would suggest looking at the things you've done and change them.

Diet is a HUGE one! Go on the internet and Google new recipes (high Protein, low fat). Go to the grocery store and buy what you need and cook it. That helps me a lot too! Not only by looking forward to cooking (which I love) but finding new and delicious foods to help me on my journey...

Mix it up! You can succeed, and coming here for advice is an AWESOME way to start again!