I was banded quite a while ago. Long enough that I should have reached my goal weight by now. :w00t: I did fairly well right after surgery, then hit a plateau, then lost some more, then plateaued, and now have gained. I'm still well below my starting weight and I want to get back on track and use my band to help me get there so I'm looking for some support!

I feel like I have failed. I was given this tool to use to help me lose weight and I feel like I have done everything in my power to get around it. I am a food addict for sure, and I do not recognize when I am feeling full. I had (have?) what I felt was good restriction from 5 fills over a year or so (I've been banded a lot longer than that, no fills recently). But I consciously eat things I know I shouldn't, eat too fast, too much, well y'all know how it goes. My life is super stressful and I use food for comfort. Another issue is I don't want to go back to my original surgeon, long story.

So, what do I do now? I'm at the point where I feel like I've given up on my band. Don't get me wrong, I WANT to get back on track but I just can't see how I can at this point.

Thanks for listening.

Howdy ya'll...just an update...I have done better with my eating habits the last couple of days...most of the holiday junk foods are gone, and I'm going grocery shopping in just a bit to stock up on safe foods...lol...I haven't lost any weight yet, but I'm not letting that deter me from my goals. :thumbup:Hope ya'll are doing well...keep in touch! Joanie :tt1:)

Hi everyone! Im glad this thread is availible. I was banded in March 08. lost 75lbs and havent lost weight in a year. I changed my doc and was filled but was too tight (bad acid reflux and i couldnt eat anything. now with .25 cc's out, I am able to eat I do not understand it. But today I ate

breakfast: 1 fat free yougurt with 2 tablsp of Peanut Butter granola

1/4 bottle of Water

lunch- 1 fat free yogurt 2 tabls granola

dinner- 4 oz. chicken breast with ranch shake n bake

1/2 cup of rice and 1 cup of veggies

the problem was I was full at the breast but I kept eating. I went to an overeater anonymous meeting tonite to see if that was the [place for me} but my spirit said go to this site and share what you are going thru.

its not that I so much overeat in the day its the nighttime I crave sweets and carbs. Man I need to lose 100 more ilbs. I want to give up sooo bad. I was too tight and literrally was in soo much pain until I surrendered and got an unfill.

I have the wii game fit but not working out. I am not working but writing my autoiography no excuse.

I always wanted to be the lie on my drivers liscense 178lbs-im 284.

the truth is I don't really believe I can do it. no motivation. I pray that I do not eat anymore tonite. sumtimes I want to take sleeping pills just so I can sleep so I wont eat and that is the truth.

help is availble when you ask

asking:frown:

Hi everyone! Im glad this thread is availible. I was banded in March 08. lost 75lbs and havent lost weight in a year. I changed my doc and was filled but was too tight (bad acid reflux and i couldnt eat anything. now with .25 cc's out, I am able to eat I do not understand it. But today I ate

breakfast: 1 fat free yougurt with 2 tablsp of Peanut Butter granola

1/4 bottle of Water

lunch- 1 fat free yogurt 2 tabls granola

dinner- 4 oz. chicken breast with ranch shake n bake

1/2 cup of rice and 1 cup of veggies

the problem was I was full at the breast but I kept eating. I went to an overeater anonymous meeting tonite to see if that was the [place for me} but my spirit said go to this site and share what you are going thru.

its not that I so much overeat in the day its the nighttime I crave sweets and carbs. Man I need to lose 100 more ilbs. I want to give up sooo bad. I was too tight and literrally was in soo much pain until I surrendered and got an unfill.

I have the wii game fit but not working out. I am not working but writing my autoiography no excuse.

I always wanted to be the lie on my drivers liscense 178lbs-im 284.

the truth is I don't really believe I can do it. no motivation. I pray that I do not eat anymore tonite. sumtimes I want to take sleeping pills just so I can sleep so I wont eat and that is the truth.

help is availble when you ask

asking:frown:

I totally understand where you're coming from...Night-time is my downfall...I relax in front of the TV after dinner, and all of a sudden I want to snack...so hard to not snack...My only defense is having nothing in the house that I want. I go to the pantry and look and look, then go sit back down.

Do you have a friend you can call at those times when you want to eat? I know there were times when I didn't want to talk to anyone, but when I did I felt so much better.

I wish you luck on your journey, it's not an easy one for sure...but you can do it my friend! :thumbup:

Keep in touch...Joanie :cursing:)

I agree that those sneak snack attacks at night are a real problem for me.

It's almost like my "reward" at the end of a hard day to kick back, watch a little TV and then look for something good to snack on. We all know what we are supposed to do and not do, it's just putting this into place and following through.

The only answer I can come up with is possibly a radical lifestyle change that will not let us fall into this habit.

I'm not talking take a bath, doing your nails. That does not work for me. I'm thinking a change in routine, possibly going to the gym at night or taking classes.

How's everyone doing on this thread? if you're like me, we touched on a subject and decided to avoid it. So let's work through this together. We've all been there and to avoid it, we are allowing food to win.

I haven't been back to this thread in a little while. Since then, I HAVE MADE A FILL APPOINTMENT. That was step 1 for my new year. I actually kept putting it off, but my brother has turned into someone to inspire me. He is going to have gastric bypass surgery next monday and he is on the pre-surgury diet.

We have created our own little group on livingstrong.com and use their tool called my daily plate. this is an easy access way to journal all that we eat and we all know that using a food journal is the BEST tool we can ever do for ourselves. he can even access it through his ipod.

it's easy to go on and create my daily food and it keeps track for me of calories, fats, carbs, and so on.

My next step is getting back to exercise. I have not worked out in a routine in MANY years. It's been all about the kids for the past 8 years. So this new year while i was looking into the community education book for classes they might like, i found an exercise class that they are holding during the same time as a lot of the kids classes at the same school. I wanted to start with something easier on the knees like water aerobics, but i thru caution to the wind and signed up anyways. I start this saturday. Zumba here I come. i'm feeling this is my foot in the door back to exercise. and it feels good.

For anyone out there feeling bored with their routine: make a change to it. add different music; do something different for a week or 2; but don't stop. work thru it.

For those that emotionally eat or night time eat - easier said than done - but get out of the kitchen. I was driving home last night from work and i was upset about something my husband had said. I wanted soooooo much to pull into the next gas station and buy a bag of chips and dip and gorge myself to relief. That has been my poison of choice for the past year that I've been off track. Amazing what you can eat when it slides down. But something wonderful happened - I kept driving. I made it home, I actually told him that I didn't like what he said and that was my relief. Guess what, we didn't solve anything, but I wasn't hurting myself over it and setting myself back.

My nighttime eating comes and goes. sometimes i feel that once i'm alone (all are off to bed) i'm entitled to eat. I'm usually the last one awake and my routine is to watch tv in the kitchen and clean up and make lunches for the next day. Since "starting over" for the past week, i've been trying to make changes to this. trying to make lunches right after dinner, cleaning it all up and getting out of there. it's helped. also, making my own lunch allows me the feeling of doing something for myself during all of this and is somehow satisfying. plus i'm usually using leftovers for my lunch, so I know in my mind, i get to eat them, and it's ok that it's not right that minute. (sometimes typing out your life can give you insite to some really kool things).

we all need a kick in the butt but don't want it.

Well when you are ready you know you are the only person that can kick yourself in the butt.

My 3 year band anniversary is 4/24 and i want to hit onederland. I haven't been there in a VERY long time and that is my short term goal. i have 32 pounds to loose to get there and 3 months to do it. I'm glad i got my band and i'm glad it's still here for me to use 3 years later. I may not make it to my alltime goal all in one continuous journey, but so far, i'm happy.

Thanks for sharing your insite. I can really relate to the emotional eating part. I love that you figured out a way to nurture yourself in a healthy way with food. I am going to practice using your idea of taking time to put together healthy meals instead of snacking when I want to turn to food for emotional reasons. That's so healthy! I'm also trying to "say it instead of stuff it" by saying what's on my mind instead of stuffing the feelings down with food.

I'm also going to really try to start focussing on consistency as a step toward accomplishing my goal. It seems like I'm on an all or nothing rollercoster with the band. I'm either PBing after 4 bites, or I can eat 2 cups (or more) of food. It drives me crazy, and I don't know why it acts like that. I don't know if I should get a fill or not get a fill, etc.... I just had a realization that even though my band is not consistant, I can be - by following the band rules on a daily basis and not trying to make the band do all the work. This will take a lot of work, because consistency is not my strong point.

Wishing you all the success you deserve!

Thanks for sharing your struggles. I too am eating sliders and need to get back to journalling. I really want to get the next 35 pounds off and get to onderland!

How's everyone doing on this thread? if you're like me, we touched on a subject and decided to avoid it. So let's work through this together. We've all been there and to avoid it, we are allowing food to win.

I haven't been back to this thread in a little while. Since then, I HAVE MADE A FILL APPOINTMENT. That was step 1 for my new year. I actually kept putting it off, but my brother has turned into someone to inspire me. He is going to have gastric bypass surgery next monday and he is on the pre-surgury diet.

We have created our own little group on livingstrong.com and use their tool called my daily plate. this is an easy access way to journal all that we eat and we all know that using a food journal is the BEST tool we can ever do for ourselves. he can even access it through his ipod.

it's easy to go on and create my daily food and it keeps track for me of calories, fats, carbs, and so on.

My next step is getting back to exercise. I have not worked out in a routine in MANY years. It's been all about the kids for the past 8 years. So this new year while i was looking into the community education book for classes they might like, i found an exercise class that they are holding during the same time as a lot of the kids classes at the same school. I wanted to start with something easier on the knees like Water aerobics, but i thru caution to the wind and signed up anyways. I start this saturday. Zumba here I come. i'm feeling this is my foot in the door back to exercise. and it feels good.

For anyone out there feeling bored with their routine: make a change to it. add different music; do something different for a week or 2; but don't stop. work thru it.

For those that emotionally eat or night time eat - easier said than done - but get out of the kitchen. I was driving home last night from work and i was upset about something my husband had said. I wanted soooooo much to pull into the next gas station and buy a bag of chips and dip and gorge myself to relief. That has been my poison of choice for the past year that I've been off track. Amazing what you can eat when it slides down. But something wonderful happened - I kept driving. I made it home, I actually told him that I didn't like what he said and that was my relief. Guess what, we didn't solve anything, but I wasn't hurting myself over it and setting myself back.

My nighttime eating comes and goes. sometimes i feel that once i'm alone (all are off to bed) i'm entitled to eat. I'm usually the last one awake and my routine is to watch tv in the kitchen and clean up and make lunches for the next day. Since "starting over" for the past week, i've been trying to make changes to this. trying to make lunches right after dinner, cleaning it all up and getting out of there. it's helped. also, making my own lunch allows me the feeling of doing something for myself during all of this and is somehow satisfying. plus i'm usually using leftovers for my lunch, so I know in my mind, i get to eat them, and it's ok that it's not right that minute. (sometimes typing out your life can give you insite to some really kool things).

we all need a kick in the butt but don't want it.

Well when you are ready you know you are the only person that can kick yourself in the butt.

My 3 year band anniversary is 4/24 and i want to hit onederland. I haven't been there in a VERY long time and that is my short term goal. i have 32 pounds to loose to get there and 3 months to do it. I'm glad i got my band and i'm glad it's still here for me to use 3 years later. I may not make it to my alltime goal all in one continuous journey, but so far, i'm happy.

Gonna, this is SOOO freaky.

My 3 year anniversary is same time, give or take a few days and I have that same goal.

We should join up and support each other. I also want to lose about 30 lbs. for my 3 year check up.

I just joined a gym and am really, really trying hard to get out of this slump.

I started out at about the same weight as you also.

I just want to get under that 200 mark.

Just want to add that this is a great thread!

I hope we can keep this going. :thumbup:

In March it will be 7yrs. for my lapband. Had dilatation, and doc put another fill in last yr. Now, having stomach problems, and gained 20lbs. (total 80 loss). Now doc says to work with the "tool", and would love to do a revision. I am ready to get the band out, can't eat meat, bread, pasta..mostly soft foods and soups, and I am just getting bummed out! I have appt. with gastro doc on Monday, and see if it is the band giving me problems or gall bladder.. Band doc said get it checked out and he could take my gallbladder out, if it is that...i will say get the band out, so i can just eat salad's/meat's/veggies again!!

Do you remember when you got on track and once you got there, you found it easier and wanted to stay on track? I'm so glad for that feeling. I have been keeping track of things on mydailyplate for about 9 days now. I've lost 6 pounds by just being aware of what i'm eating. yesterday, my family decided on subway for dinner and I stayed healthy. i even got home and ran to my computer to see if I could eat all 12" and stay under my calories. I could! And I did. Then I went back and checked later and found how many carbs i had just eaten for that meal with the bread. suprised i didn't fall asleep. but it was VERY satisfying.

My exercise class that was supposed to start this saturday called and had to post pone a week due to something else going on in the school gym. Not sure if that was a relief or a bummer. kind of both.

My fill is scheduled for 2/4. I just want a little more restriction. My band has always given me restriction on the healthy foods - go figure. I don't want to be discouraged. Just keep telling myself I have to chew more with more fill. Part of me wonders if I really need it and part wants it as a back up. I've always said if you want to know if I have any regrets, ask me in a couple years to see if the weight stays off. Since it's been a couple of years, I'll have to say No Regrets. If it's done anything, it's kept me from putting weight back on. and now that I'm ready again, I can go for "round 2".

It's funny about setting my onederland goal. It's been a really long time since I've been this "close" to being under 200 and starting a diet with a goal. 31 pounds is nothing when i think that the last time i was setting goals I was 72 pounds away. I'm looking so forward to this and feeling so motivated. It's fun and enlightening and i love this feeling i get. I hope if i can be of any help or encourgement or anything that anyone feels free to contact me.

I just joined a gym and am really, really trying hard to get out of this slump.

.

Awesome that you joined a gym. Just don't set yourself up to fail. Don't promise to go everyday. Start with a promise to go on a specific day of the week and if you go more, great, but go on your day until you feel good and want more.

We'll get there! This is our year! 201.0 = 2010 = loose it Then we've got to party like its 199.9 !!!!!!

I too came on here after a long long time looking for encouragement. (before warned this one is long).

I was banded 4/03. went from 247 to 153. Had a tube leak in 1/06 had that fixed. In 08 started having acid reflux reall bad at night. Went to the Dr he said nothing is wrong ith the band and took out most of my fill. He said i was at a good weight and I need to maintain it. Well even with the fill out i had the acid reflux not as bad but it was still there. I just knew in my heart that something was wrong. since he wouldn't do anything about it. I found another Dr. In 2008 I went to Dr Marvin in Houston. He did several test (esophagal mohometry(sp?) are HORRIBLE). He determined that I had a slip on the back side of my stomach, and a hital herrina. He went in and replaced my band and repaired my herrina in march 09. We went with the realize band this time. i started out well. BUT, then I had a thyroid cyst and thyroid issues that set me back. He took out the cyst and half of my thyroid in April 09. Even after the surgery I had problems getting my thyroid levels straight. I have also got hit with the bad economy. It has reaked havok on my real estate business. So with the stress and thyroid I was not losing, and didn't have the motivation to do anything about it. In december 09 i got another fill and finally hit the sweet spot. I decided for my new year's revolution I would think about myself. my business is still in the tank, but my husband makes good money and we just have to adjust our lifestyle. Which hasn't been easy on my 3 children or husband. Anyhow in Dec I was back up to my starting weight of 224. I am now down to 210 and i have lost 17 inches. I measure my body weekly (sometimes more) it seems to motivate me more than the scale. I have increased my Water intake. i go by Sonic every morning after dropping the kids at school I order a Route 44 ice water with extra ice. i drink it and refill it as much as possible during the day. I am eating less. not so much better, but I'm working on that. What i'm having a problem with is the workout. I use to enjoy working out, but now i find every excuse to not start. anyhow I too am looking for someone to kick me in the butt, and tell me to get over it and get healthy!!

5'4" and 32!

1st band 4/03 247/153/160

2nd band 3/09 224/210/160

Can I ask a dumb question?

Why do I hear the word hernia so much on this site? Is it somehow related to the band or the size of us?

I am on Year 2 of my longer journey too because I want to lose a total of 200 lbs - at -125 now and coming up on my 2nd bandiversary on March 17 - about a month now. By my 3 year anniversary, I am trying to be in Onederland for sure but I'd like to try to lose 1 lb per week approximately in 2010. Lost 3.4 in January so I am very happy with that. I was still dealing with work stress things that have dramatically improved since mid-January now.

I am going to the gym at work and also the gym after work when I don't go in the day at work. Trying to do something each day. Sunday and friend and I did mall walking and that was fun - we not only did the upper level and lower level mall but we zipped in and out of all the big anchor stores like Sears, Penney, Macy, etc. so we got to do some window shopping while we did our exercise! An hour passed pretty quick doing that.

P.S. I did birthday celebration splurging on food so that is not a good thing to confess - clearly I still have a problem with food and have to continue to be diligent.