Please dont give up. I have been where you are, believing nothing would ever work for me too. I was a private pay patient and this thing cost me 15,000. Worth every penny. I promise. There are rough days but overall I wouldnt trade it. I was banded a year May 28th and I have lost 94 pounds. I am so happy feel so good and am so proud. I would never have believd ayear ago I could feel this good. When I look at old pictures, I had no idea I was THAT big. THAT unhealthy. THAT was the problem. I was in complete denial. At this point you would be crazy to give up seriously. You have done the hard stuff, you just have to do the daily work. Keep watching your portions, walk every day and I promise you It will happen, maybe not fast but it will. If i can do it any one in this world can do it. God bless and DONT GIVE UP

I just wrote a post last night about how dissapointed I was when I saw a picture of myself. Ive lost 40 lbs in the last 4 months and I still felt the same way you feel now. There is no way I would give up though. Maybe avoiding the camera and focusing on your victories will help reinspire you. Do you have a group you can join for support?

Don't give up. The Lap Band is not a "magic band", but it is a major step in becoming healthy. Weight loss can not and should happen overnight. Celebrate the weight you have loss, celebrate every pound and every ounce. Do not lose sight of your goal!

Don't be discouraged. Remember the weight didn't come on overnight and it won't leave overnight. It is logical to want weightloss for vain reasons but also think about health and other aspects of losing weight. You lost 18 pounds. That is awesome. I want to lose more weight than what I've lost too and I still cringe when I see phtots of me, but guess what? I know deep inside that had I not gotten the band, I'd be heavier now than I was four months ago. Hang in there and use that picture to be a motivation to get you to where you will be in the future. Read the success stories and think about your "before" and "after". Your doctor, the band, those in the forum ....we're here to help you experience success.

Give up? You are joking, right? 18lbs is an amazing weight loss. Come on, you have to know that. It doesn't matter what a picture shows, you have got to be feeling better. You are using the lap-band "tool". You will not lose the weight overnight or everyone who is overweight would get one. This is going to be a process, long, but worth every lousy second. Shake it off and get back on track. YOU CAN DO IT!

PLEASE DO NOT GIVE UP!!! I lost 98 pounds in just about 9 months. There where times when I stop losing for a bit, but I kept at it, I am not one to give up. This was one of the best thing I have ever done I have a new life, down 10 dress sizes, from a size 24 to a size 14. Think about how long it took you to gain that weight, then also look at all your health issue, and how sad you feel right now. I think you owe to yourself to give it more time. You paid for this surgey out of your pocket and you had a great tool to work with. Remember this is only a tool like any tool we have to learn how to operate this tool properly.

Nothing great happens over night it takes time. IT DOES WORK...... HANG IN THERE YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!!

GOOD LUCK.

P.S

STAY AWAY FROM THAT CAMERA FOR A WHILE.

Chin up, chica! We are all her for you. I hope after you get through this agonizing moment (and BELIEVE ME that we ALL have them) you realize that this is just a bump in the road. We are absolutely pulling for you!

#1 - thank you all for your support and encouragement.

#2 - i didnt know my friend took the pictures. I wasnt looking. I was helping her to load her pictures up to her computer when i saw the photos!!! (I deleted them!!!)

#3 - I just feel like i've fallen prey to some big scam! this is my 3rd fill and still no sweetspot - i can tell already... :'( i hv 10.75 in my band and nothing!!! how can that be??? I dont even know if my band can hold much more....

#4 - and how fat am i really? i guess i didnt know how fat i really am until i saw those pictures! i wanted to cry!!! luckily i was able to delete them from my friend's camera card!!!

#5- i'm supossed to do 3 days of clear liquids after each fill and that always makes me sick-the shakes, dizzy and diareahha (sp?)!!! eeeew! then 1 week of full liquids..i'm always starving that week, so i "cheat"!!! how many more times can i go through this (fill)? so basically until i hit my sweet spot, i'm just dieting, which obviously i'm not good at or i wouldnt have had this band placed to begin with!!!! i am so sad.....(and no, its not "my time of month" LOL! so this is all sincere saddness not due to any "feminine isssues" LOL)

When you go in for your fill, explain this to your doctor. Perhaps she/he can recommend a different "after fill plan". My doctor says clear liquid the first day (and a shake for protein although I don't always do the shake), Second day fluids..including coffee,.... third day, mushies. After third day, regular food plan. Maybe you have a 14cc band and just need more. I understand your frustration about starving. When I feel like that I eat a filling food or drink water to try and block the feeling.

Don't be discouraged. I've lost 45 lbs and only 1 person at work has said something about it so I don't know where the weight went but it is obviously not noticeable. What a ding to your self-esteem. I didn't feel restriction until my 8th fill so don't think 3 fills is the magic number for you just hang in there and keep with it. It will all come together. I hate getting fills also, I have had a fill every month since Oct and I hate the routine that follows but it is worth it. Good luck and I'm hear if you need someone to listen to you.

It is worth it when your on the down hill side I promise. There are days that are rough and you wonder "what the heck have I done is it worth it" but I promise you the answer is YES YES YES YOU ARE WORTH IT YOUR FAMILY IS WORTH IT YOUR HEALTH IS WORTH IT. GOD BELIEVES YOU ARE SOOOOOOO WORTH IT. I PROMISE YOU THIS IS WORTH IT AND YOU WILL BE SO GLAD YOU STUCK IT OUT. GOOD LUCK. MECHELLE

THANK YOU GUYS!!! i am going to talk to my doctor about he problems i have on his "stict & looooong" after-fill regiment!!! i think that will help. when i went for the pre-op bloodwork it showed that i got really sick and my blood sugar level (? i think? something like that??) really dropped and i got dizzy/shakey, etc w/no food for several hours....maybe he didnt notice that in the report?? i feel better today. thnx again!!