~Bridgette~

Hi, I don't know what to do! I have been getting my fills fairly regularly, but haven't lost any weight in about 6 months. I can't eat any bread, rice, or Pasta. I try to get as much Protein as possible, and veggies. I also have a bad sweet tooth, that's probably my problem. I'm trying to figure out if I need to just cut my carbs or try weight watchers... I don't know what to do. :laugh: I've been PB'ing a lot lately, so much so that I'm getting sore throats. Going in for a slight unfill on Wednesday. I started working out with a trainer a few weeks ago and have actually gained 2 lbs since then. :smile: Working out for an hour a day 5 days a week. I'm around 7 or 8ccs in a 10cc band. It's just so frustrating to not be able to eat half the time, and be working out so hard to not see any results other than the scale going UP. I really haven't seen the "sweet spot"... I lost most of my weight post op on liquids and that seems to be when I lose, the liquid phase right after a fill, but when I start eating, the losing stops!! Any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words. I recently joined my fitness pal and am actually recording what I eat. I was surprised at the amount of junk I've been stuffing in my face. So, hopefully that will help me be more accountable. I know yesterday when I was tempted by the Reese's cups at the office, I didn't want to have to put them on my journal for the day and waste those calories/sugar/fat, so I just didn't eat them. LOL And it was great to add in calories burned at the gym. I also decided to forego the unfill as I haven't pb'd in over a week, since before I made my appt. I got out my little tiny fork last night and am going back to basics. Teeny tiny bites and chewing very well. I figure I've got great restriction right now, I might as well use it for all it's worth. This is what we all dream of, right? So, now I'm exercising at the gym 5 days a week for at least an hour, watching what I eat and logging it so I know exactly what I'm putting in my mouth, focussing on being a good bandster as far as not overdoing it, and working on getting my Water. Hopefully that will be the right combination. And if I really want that chocolate, it will be an occasional treat, not a daily thing, and I will have to go out and get it b/c it won't be in the house and it will be decadent and satisfying. :confused:

Great thread!! I have been at a plateau for about 6 months now and haven't lost a thing. Recently hired a personal trainer (2 sessions a week) with assignments for what to do on the other days. I'm working out 5 days a week. Also, I think my band may actually be too tight. I've been PBing about every other evening when I eat dinner. I have no problem during the day, but in the evening, I can't hardly get anything to stay down. :laugh: I'm actually going in for a slight unfill on Weds if my surgeon agrees that that is what I need. I have a horrible sweet tooth and like to graze throughout the day. So, I'm upping the exercise, increasing water intake, and am focussing on lowering my carbs and increasing my protein intake.

Thanks everybody! I really have a horrible sweet tooth and crave snack foods. I think if I can give them up, that would make a huge difference. Guess I'll have to give it up just like I did smoking almost 4 years ago... cold turkey. LOL Whenever I "dieted" before, I was most successful when I was seriously doing the Low-carb thing, but once you start eating them again, the weight comes back on. I know I'm whining, but I gave up bread/rice/pasta, I don't really want to have to give up chocolate too. LOL

I was so tired as well, and all of my blood tests came back normal. Do you have a history of sleep apnea? I did but it went untreated. I thought the weight loss had treated it b/c my snoring stopped. After all the blood tests came back normal, I was sent in for another sleep study and apparently I stilll have the sleep apnea, even though I don't snore. So, now I have a CPAP machine and while I'm still not "full of energy".... it's better. Good luck, and like the others said, don't give up. Find out what's making you feel this way and strive to get what you need to feel better. You're working so hard for yourself, you deserve all the energy that goes with your improved health and fitness! =)

Before my surgery, I was a very loud snorer with sleep apnea. I never got the CPAP because I wanted to lose the weight. After the weight started coming off, my DH told me that my snoring had stopped. I was so excited!! Unfortunatley, I was still very tired during the day. The Dr. did a ton of blood tests to see if all of my Vitamin levels were ok, thyroid, etc... and when the tests came back normal, I went in for another sleep study. Apparently I still have the apnea. I was fitted for a mask. That was so very frustrating for me. So now, I don't really snore, but I have to use the CPAP anyways. My suggestion to you, if you start to feel tired again, go in for another sleep study to make sure the weight loss helped with your apnea. I am not faithful about using my machine every night but I can tell when I've gone too many nights in a row without it, I get so tired. Good luck and congrats on feeling better and the success of your weight loss to this point! =)

I am scheduled to go in on Weds for a slight unfill. Ironically, since scheduling the appt on Tuesday, I've only thrown up once. LOL Figures, right?

Oh, and the ironic thing was that I originally had the LAP-BAND® to get rid of my apnea. After I'd had my surgery and lost about 40 lbs, I was still exhausted. They did all types of blood tests to make sure I was getting all of my nutrients. Since I had a history of sleep apnea (untreated) my doc suggested I go back in for another study. I thought it was useless since my hubby had been bragging that he was sleeping so much better b/c I had quit snoring. Apparently I still had the apnea even after weight loss. I was seriously bummed! I almost refused the mask b/c I felt like I was being punished for being fat and was losing weight, but somedays I have so little energy, it's horrible.

I started out with a mask that just covered my nose, but I can't hardly breathe through my nose, and usually end up with my mouth open. So... I switched to a full face mask. Some nights I can only wear it for 4-5 hours, but I still can't tell the difference yet. I try, but I have a hard time sleeping with it. Better now that I can open my mouth, but it just feels strange to me and I wake up perodically during the night.

It's been happening to me for the last week. Very frustrating. I forget to go back on liquids the next day so I think I may be irritating my band and then at dinnertime, I vomit again... but am fine during the day. Just did it tonight, so I guess I need to make a better effort to do liquids tomorrow! Good luck, it's still a learning curve, at least for me and I've had my band for over a year.

This can be so frustrating! It seems like I'm vomiting after dinner almost nightly. I do fine during the day, most days my breakfast is yogurt with some granola and my lunch is a salad with some grilled chicken. I do fine with that, but for some reason in the evening I almost always bring up my dinner. Whether it's meat or just steamed veggies, if it's solid and not liquid or "mushy" for dinner it seems to come back up. Very frustrating. I'm thinking I might need to go in for an unfill. I wouldn't be quite as frustrated if I were actually losing weight, but the scale isn't budging and I'm startinig to get a sore throat from throwing up so much. :thumbup:

Do any of you feel that your band gets tighter when you're stressed or in pain? I've been having really bad menstrual cramps the past couple of days and haven't been really hungry. So, this afternoon I was taking some Advil (the only thing that will make my cramps lessen) and I think they got stuck. I was taking them with an Atkins shake and for the next hour I spent it in the bathroom throwing up the shake. Eventually it stopped and a few hours later I was able to eat some yogurt. So for dinner I tried "normal" food and was in the bathroom within 10 minutes of finishing and out it came again... I rarely PB unless I don't chew well enough or eat too fast or something I shouldn't (bready stuff).... so this is kinda bugging me. Should I go to liquids and purees for a few days to heal or what?

I'll be banded on Oct 29th and I want to get started now on getting healthier! SO, my question is what all have you guys already started? * taking vitamins? * before pictures? * measurements? * getting your protein supplements? * exercising? * drinking lots of water? What can I do now??? I'm starting a high protein/low carb diet now and will allow myself one splurge meal a week up until the pre-op diet begins. Have you all read any good books? I want to be more successful at this than I've ever been before! I want to prove those who have been less than supportive in the past wrong and especially to myself!! I want to rid myself of self-doubt and negative thoughts. C'mon Smashing Pumpkins, what can we do to jump start our journey??

the vomiting if I could at least lose weight. I got a fill about 3 weeks ago (up to about 6cc in a 10cc band) and in the last week or so, I have pb'd so many times on the solid Proteins, that it's not funny. I thought I was taking my time, chewing well, and taking small bites, but I guess not. I'm not suffering from reflux at night, but I'm having these episodes that make me sore, ya know? And... the frustrating thing is that I can't seem to lose weight unless I'm on a total liquid diet!! :cursing: Any thoughts, advice, suggestions?!!? I'm starting to think I'm a failure at this too! My 1 year anniversary is in a couple of days and I haven't lost any weight since the 2 days I was on liquids right after my fill....

I'll have to keep the hot liquid trick in mind.... I wondered about what happens when sinuses start to wreak havoc on my system....

I've been having pb episodes a lot the last 3 days... mainly on solid protein, like chicken and salmon... so I'm thinking I need to take smaller bites and slow down. I think I'm going to go to liquids for a few days though... The frustrating thing, is I've really been trying to eat slower and stop when I feel satisfied, and chew really well... it's just incredibly frustrating!!!

Thanks! I just started day 3 and had tuna salad for Breakfast. It was so good to chew after 2 days of liquids. And the carb monster seems to have quietened down somewhat. :tongue2:

I feel like I've drank my weight in protein shakes today, LOL. BUT so far, so good!! :thumbup:

Starting day 1 today! Woohoo!! I'm excited to get control of my band again. =)

I've considered doing this a couple of times already, but have a couple of questions... for example, when I take my meds in the am and pm (bedtime) I usually drink a small protein shake with them since they say to take with food.. can I still drink my shakes after day 2? Or are we only allowed liquids on days 1-2, mushies on day 3 (meaning no liquids but water), and then solid proteins after that (meaning no liquids but water or mushies)... I geuss the OCD kicks in a bit and I get confused. Some clarification would be wonderful!!! I need to break this plateau!! Thanks!! =)

I don't do that with pee, but when I know I'm getting ready to poop, I hop on the scale and then go back to the scale afterwards.... I guess, one day I'm hoping for a 5lb dump or something... now that's TMI!! LOL

1. I can't imagine eating real NY style pizza again... I can't do any doughy breads.. they just ball up and I get stuck.. Miserable feeling! 2. I'm having a really hard time giving up the chocolate! Cookies, ice cream, candy... you name it. I can even eat brownies... it's not good!! 3. My favorite foods right now are nuts, cottage cheese, and chick-fil-a nuggets, and cheese enchiladas. 4. I don't really have a recipe, but when I get a craving for italian (no pizza or pasta) I get about 5 of the frozen meatballs, cover with spaghetti sauce, add some ricotta cheese, and mozzarella and heat. YUMMY!!:thumbdown:

I joined Curves in January and go 3-5 days a week and LOVE it! I'm still sweating and still fighting my way through plateaus, but I'm seeing muscle definition and have had to buy new clothes on a regular basis... so I'm thrilled. PLUS, like a previous poster said, I'm working out! That's the best part!! Have any of you tried the 3phase eating program they offer? I've thought about trying that to break through the plateau....