Cat225

I am in the same boat as you! I've had my band for almost 7 months, have lost 50 pounds, but I've been at a major plateau since June. I'm still working towards the green zone. I'm hoping my next fill will jumpstart my weight loss. Do you exercise? Once it cools down outside I'm going to start walking.

Thanks for your reply. It's so frustrating! Anyone that says getting the lapband is an easy way out has no idea. It is hard work! Hopefully, the next fill will help me. I know it's not a race, but a whole new lifestyle. I just wish I would start losing again!

I've had my band since January 30, 2014, and have had 5 fills so far, each .5ccs. I'm at around 5 to 5.4 ccs in my band, and it's not keeping me satiated for more than 2 hours at a time. The only time that I can go over 4 hours between eating is if I eat a meal with lots of Protein that's around 350-400 calories. I'm trying to stay below 1,500 calories, and drink between 64-80 oz. of Water every day. I'm writing everything down and counting protein grams, but I'm still at a serious plateau. My weight will not budge. I spoke to my clnic yesterday, and the skinny nurse told me the same thing as always, to eat small high protein meals, and they will eventually get me in the green zone. I'm so frustrated. They won't fill you more than .5 ccs a visit, and you can only get a fill once every 4 weeks. I postponed my July fill to work on eating slower and smaller bites. I'm doing a lot better with that, but I am hungry so much of the time, not just head hunger, but stomach growling. Some days all I think about is food, and what to eat at my next meal/snack, calculating calories, counting protein grams, etc. It's exhausting.

3457 + 50 = 3507

I weighed myself today, and I'm finally losing again! I was so relieved. I've been really careful, and lowered my carb consumption to just 1 or 2 pieces of whole grain toast a day, and focused on eating the bulk of my calories in protein. I feel very good to be on an upswing again! Plus, I'm finally under 300. I NEVER EVER want to see that number again!!!

Thanks so much! I really appreciate it. I will write you back later!!

Thanks @@enjoythetime! I just sent you a message!

Thanks everyone! I feel like my appetite is a beast right now! I'm trying so hard to keep full with Protein and limit my carbs, but it's not easy. I've dropped over a dress size, so that is something to be happy about. I still have so much weight to lose. I just want to be under and stay under 300 pounds for good. It sucks to lose 40 pounds and no one notices. My doctor will only fill .5 every 4 weeks, no more than that and not any sooner. I read about bandster hell before I got my band, but now I really understand it! @@enjoythetime, I think you are right about me preparing/expecting to fail. I've been trying to lose weight for so long, and I'm so used to always failing. Can I ask you a question? I saw in your profile that you lost 142 pounds in 1 year. That is amazing! How did you do it? What were/are your meals like? How did you get through this initial hell stage and keep losing weight?

I started this process on January 17th. From then to April, I lost 41 pounds. Since then, my weight has been up a few pounds and then back down. I'm at around 40 pounds gone, but I can't seem to start losing again. I've had 3 fills, my most recent one was 2 weeks ago. My band is filled to around 4.9-5.0 ccs. All I've noticed from the fills is that I must eat very slowly and chew well, which I have been doing, because after each fill more and more food is getting stuck, forcing me to have to spit it up. The full or satisfied sensation only lasts for a short time. I'm hungry again after most meals. The clinic suggested I try steel cuts oats in the morning for a change, because I am sick of eggs. This morning I had a small pre measured packet of steel cut oats sweetened with Truvia and fresh blueberries. I also had 3 pieces of chicken bacon and black coffee. My whole Breakfast was 320 calories. I was very satisfied afterwards, but not more than an hour later my stomach felt empty again. I am trying so hard to eat small portions, because I know that is the key to losing weight. I thought the whole point of this lapband was that it would make eating small, sensible portions of good food satisfying. What am I doing wrong? I am near tears here feeling like a complete failure once again. This is the same pattern that has happened on any diet I have ever been on in my life. I lose a bunch of weight at first, and then stop losing, and can't start losing again. I have committed this is my new lifestyle, not a diet, but I'm just so afraid that It's not going to work anymore. I have read stories where people never lose weight with their lapband. I spent so much money on this thing and had so much hope just a couple months ago. What happened? I am choosing good foods, a couple sensible carbs and not eating any sugary or fatty junk foods. I'm also limiting my snacking to once a day. I wanted to have energy this summer, but it's starting to get warm out and I'm already uncomfortable and sweaty again. I'm really miserable.

BlissfullyBanded, I, too, have been learning what is 'done' and what is 'too much'. I definitely can eat a much smaller portion of food than I did before, and seconds are usually not an option. But, what you said, done, it's a great way of looking at things!

Wow, you are lucky! I've had 2 fills so far, and they've both been .5ccs. My clinic won't do more than that every 4 weeks. Roxy, I love your avatar!!

Congratulations!

The only people who know about my surgery are my husband and my friend. I avoided my mother for over two weeks after I was banded. She lives nearby, and has no idea what I've been through. I don't want to share my secret just yet. Maybe after I lose 100 pounds I'll tell my family. But, other people, I may never tell them. My weight has been a public struggle for me, even when I was skinny and in college. I was always fair game to talk about, "She lost weight", "oh, she gained it all back," as well as people always felt that they had to share their latest diet with me and suggestions. My grandmother was the worst, "You have such a pretty face. Don't you want to be attractive to boys?" I was barely overweight then! I'm not ashamed that I had to get banded. It took me many years of research and discussion before I made this decision. It is SO not the easy way out! I still have cravings, and my band is nowhere near the green zone yet. It's a lot of willpower. Don't feel badly about omitting the lap band from your story to people. It's none of their business. Would you be telling everyone about a personal surgical procedure? That is what this is. You needed this surgery for your health. You have lost an incredible amount of weight using your willpower and better habits! As for your best friend's mother-in-law...I can't write what my response to her would have been in this forum. LOL!

It's been two months since I got my lap band. Tomorrow I'm getting my second fill. So far I've lost 37 pounds, 15 during the pre-op diet, and 22 since my lap band surgery. I've been to parties, and dined out at restaurants and I'm still losing. When I went out with friends last week, I brought my own take home container with me, and packed up half my dinner before I started eating it! I've changed the foods that I eat, but generally I don't feel like I'm on a diet. That's why I'm so surprised that I'm still losing weight. In the past, when I tried to eat like a normal person and not diet, I would always end up bingeing and gaining weight. Maybe it's because I've cut out my trigger foods from my diet. I don't feel deprived, though. I eat a lot of protein, and no junk food. I am hungry a lot, but I know that it's going to take a while before my band is in the green zone. I also know that I have long way to go, and a lot of weight to lose. I'm trying to focus on small goals not the the big picture.

Thanks for your posts! I bought a new brand of protein shake the other day. It has 150 calories and 25 grams of protein per serving. I'm going to try it tomorrow after I get my fill. I think my real issue is that I still need several adjustments before I'll be in the green zone. Somehow I'm still losing weight! Until then, I'm just going to have to white knuckle it!