Carol-TX

Thanks, B-52. Sounds like a good idea - preventative. I'll do that from now on.

Ohh. I'm so sorry to hear of Joanne's passing. I just started posting again today and read her post from 2014. I was going to answer her post after I finished reading the subsequent posts, then I read yours. She did seem like a very sweet and inspiring person. I know you are going to miss her. Thank you for your post. Take care.

I went to the doctor yesterday to see if I could get a little more filling. It turns out that my esophagus has stretched and that is why I can eat so much and not feel satisfied. She drained my band and put me on a liquid diet for a month. Bummer. She said that the esophagus should go back to normal. I guess I needed a wake-up call, because I was binging so badly. Even though it was small amounts, I was eating all day and night. I am so hooked on sweets. I feel like I'm constantly trying to adjust my body with food. I want something sweet, then I want something like crackers, bread, or nuts - then something sweet, then on and on and on - the circle never ends. Sometimes I scream at myself in my head, "Stop eating !!!!!" I always say that I can't. But I think I have been using negative self-talk in that area. I'm good at positive self-talk in other areas of my life, and it truly works. I'm going to practice positive self-talk with regulating my food intake now. I realize that everything you say or do is a choice, and saying "I can't" is choosing "not to." I have been so disappointed that my band did not seem to make any difference for me. If I had the will-power to do everything that is expected of me with my band, I would not have been fat in the first place. I guess the band has helped some, because I've lost 40 pounds over 4 years. That's 40 less than I have to lose now. That's positive. I did good today; I have had only my 30g Protein drinks. I can have Jello or yogurt tonight. Thanksgiving will be hard, so I'm going to enjoy it at home alone this time and enjoy some movies. I'd like to know how some of y'all are doing now. Success stories ......... problems .......????

I too am having the same problem. I had my lap-band surgery in March of 2011, and I had not seen the doctor in a few years. I had gotten discouraged shortly after my surgery. I went to a few support meetings and so many people were having great success, but I wasn't. I tried to talk about it, but it seemed that they only wanted to focus on up-lifting success stories. So I quit going. Then moved away. I started seeing a new bariatric doctor last spring. She gave me one tiny little bit more filling, but said that I was pretty much at my maximum. In late spring I went back and she told me that my esophagus was stretched and not working properly, so she did not give me another filling. I went again yesterday, and she told me that my esophagus was stretched, because food backed up from overeating. That is the reason I could eat too much and not feel satisfied. It had been hurting me to eat Breakfast, and I always coughed after eating and at night when I went to bed. So I guess those were warning signs too. I looked on the internet for stretched esophagus and some articles said that it is common in lap-band situations. So the doctor drained my band, and I have to start over. Bummer. I have to be on a liquid diet for a month so that my esophagus goes back to normal. Double bummer. But in a way, I'm glad that something jarred my thinking, and for some reason, I feel like I can do what I need to this time. I had basically given up and was just cursing myself. Now I feel like I am unstuck from the mud (muddy thinking) and can move forward. We'll see. I hope that you can free yourself from whatever is holding you back, and move forward too. Don't give up and stay in contact with your doctors. They can help figure out what is wrong.

From Waco. Banded in April 2011. Difficult journey to now - Jan 2012 - BUT now I'm starting to loose. Have lost my first weight since banding - 13 pounds in last 3 weeks. I had actually gained about 20 pounds since banding. Going the right direction now.

Well, it's been a while, but with all of your suggestions and encouragement, I've finally begun to loose as you can see from my ticker. In December 2011 I finally talked my bariatric surgeon to give me another x-ray to see if my band had slipped. It had not. The nurse practioner would not give me any more fillings. She said that I was at 7 cc and I could have no more even though I had a large band. She said that I wasn't doing my part. I just felt that there was more to the story. The band should be helping me, but I could not even tell I had a band. After getting nowhere with my bariatric center, I went back to my primary care physician and asked for a consultation/second opinion from another bariatric surgeon. My appointment was January 5th. The difference in their attitude was huge. They drew out my filling and found that I actually only had 6 cc, so they gave me another one. The difference was amazing! I could feel the band. Wow! I didn't know that's how it would feel. I had lost my 1st 8 pounds from the Friday before Christmas until I went to the new doctor's office, and that was a huge struggle. Since that day, I've lost 4 more pounds and it is so much easier. Granted I am taking the antidepressent, but I can tell the band is working now. When I eat meat 1st, I can't eat very much. I've been off of sweets since then, and it has been easy because I'm not hungry all the time. I have had no problem saying "No" to sweets - even donuts!! What a relief, not to be craving sweets all the time. The new doctor said that I still have some wiggle room with my band. I'm so glad he took me as his patient. Thank you all for your help.

I never expected anyone to notice my post. WOW!! You guys are amazing. I really appreciate those comments. I needed to hear those words of encouragement from people who have gone through this. I had not thought of myself as "not willing" to do the work. I thought "I can't". Hum. Sabotage. Hum. I will give up the bread and sweets somehow. I will hold on to the statement that the craving will go away in a couple of weeks. I just have to make it that far. I have been paying for a membership at Gold's Gym for two months, so I will try to get in the habit of going. I took your advice and talked to my primary care doc, and he put me on an antidepressent. I'm going to make an appt. with the psychologist associated with my weight loss clinic. I guess I haven't reached the "sweet spot" yet even though I have had 4 fillings, because the doc said that I had so much "in-grown" fat around my organs that he had to put the band around fat and stomach. I think it just doesn't squeeze my stomach enough yet, as I can eat a regular hamburger or 6" sub easily. Thanks again. I WILL keep trying to put "a band around my head" now.

I have failed totally with my lab band which I got in April 2011. I know it's my fault because I still eat pizza and a small amount of sweets. But the diet is so restrictive, I couldn't stay on a diet to begin with, and that's why I got the band. I don't exercise because I feel so bad all the time. I just want to get home from work and sleep. I push so hard to keep going, but I don't know how long I can keep that up. Trying to eat the way they want is causing so much stress. I try every day, and every day I fail.

This is my third try for the surgery, so third time on the two week liquid pre-op diet. The first time, the surgery was postponed during the second week on my diet, because I had to have some female work done first. The second time, this January, I got the flu about 4 days before my surgery. I actually lost 20 pounds during the second try on the diet. I could not stand the protein shakes, but I found that I could tolerate the Isopure much easier. It's thin and relatively clear, so it is not hard to swallow. Some flavors are more pleasant than others, but I could drink most of them. Also there are 40 gm protein in a 20 oz bottle, so I only have to drink 1/2 bottle 3 times a day. Strangely enough after about 2 days, I noticed that I didn't get hungry before lunch. I did get a little queezy though and nibbled a couple of soda crackers each time. Worked fine. Well, my surgery is scheduled for March 14th, so I'll start the diet AGAIN on Feb 28th. I do get to eat steamed or raw vegies though. Thank goodness for Steam-Fresh vegies and salad.

Wow. That's a real bummer. I was feeling sorry for myself because my journey got postponed a few weeks because I need another trip to the pulmonologist. Just do what the doc says - the time will pass by quicker if you are really engaged in an exercise program at a gym with others. Don't forget to write in your food diary every day. Hang in there. You'll get there.