foxychick04

Hiya, please don't be discouraged. Everyone's experience with the band is different some people lose everything they want in months. I've lost 75lbs in nearly 3 years and that is really slow loss compared to people on here but for my own personal view I feel great! Since having the band I've, on the whole, lost weight. I've stayed the same a long time but not put on more than 2-3 lbs max and that is for the first time in my life that I can remember. I used to sniff food and put on weight lol. I didn't exercise for a long time because I wasn't ready but now I go regularly and enjoy it. Don't put yourself under any pressure, it is a hard adjustment for you mentally and physically. Give yourself a chance - reading on this site can help too. Think of it as a long term investment and just focus on small goals at first. You've lost 16lb since May - in your pre-band life how long would it take you to lose that? I know for me it would take ages and then 3 months later I would have put 8lbs back on. You're doing fine. Good luck!

Hi Roxy, I'm exactly the same - each fill is different but it takes weeks, sometime a couple of months to settle. At the moment it's changed again since I've come back from holiday so I'm having to learn all over again what the band is happy with. I do think some of it is in my head because I now never have problems when I go out with friends - I can eat most things although a bit slow. However when I'm at home, I can PB on Water sometimes!

Hi smilin, Your story is so similar to mine with regards to throwing up and eating late in the day. I've been throwing up way too much ever since my last fill but if I'm really honest with myself the problem is I choose the wrong foods. When 'real life' gets in the way then I just want to eat and not think about what I should be eating (emotional eating) which is why I'm throwing up so much. I was relying on my band to do all the work for me thinking I didn't have to make any choices because I would just throw up if I ate too much (I know but I'm trying to be honest). I've learnt that I needed to listen to myself more and now I'm making more of an effort to listen to my body because I know when I am too tight and it's not because I'm overfilled but my emotional status and also when I'm in certain weeks of my monthly cycle. So my advice to you is - think about the fact that you will be on ship with no expert help available if you get really stuck will you be able to cope? If not, get an unfill - you will not enjoy your holiday if you spend days unable to eat because of one bad episode. I'm not suggesting you unfill and binge but you should have peace off mind on your holiday. Be honest with yourself. Have a good time :thumbup:

Just wanted to say thanks guys - the Papaya pills worked for me. I still learning how to eat with the band (yes even after 1 1/2 years!) and often get stuck because I've eaten when I'm starving and I'm ignorning the 'I'm full' or 'slow down' signals, these tablets made it feel less painful but still full. I'm writing from the UK - you can get these tablets in Holland and Barrett for the UK Bandsters.

Wow - my port is so noticable! I feel it all the time! If I hold my stomach in you can see it but only if you know what you're looking for.

Hi - I haven't read all the replies so I apologise if I'm repeating what has already been said. Am I happier? Yes but not just because of the band. I had to deal with other things in my life that was making me miserable as well. I was banded in OCT 07 and for the 1st 10 months I lost about 14 pounds which I was disappointed in but during that time I had to adjust to the band - it's not as simple as eating less and it took me a while to adjust to that concept. Every fill I have feels like I'm back to the beginning again but I haven't given up on it although sometimes I do have breaks (eat chocolate, ice cream and mash potatoes!) Try not to put too much pressure on yourself, it is great to read other stories but everyone has to build their own story and what works for one may not work for another, its your journey. It's very important to be honest with yourself and really look at why you are not losing weight. The truth is if you put in less food you will lose weight eventually so there must be something that is not working for you. For me I realised that when I found it hard to eat I would switch to the slimey (high caloried) foods which although I didn't put weight on with because I had some restriction, it took me ages to lose weight. I realised I had to embrace chewing slowly, small portions and listening to my body and not my head. Like I said I still struggle but now I've lost a total of 43 pounds and I'm very happy about it - I look in the mirror a lot more now! The answer is there you've just got to find it.

It depends how restricted you are. After fills it takes me a while to readjust my eating habits and figure out what I can eat and what is going to get stuck. I told everyone that I had changed my habits and if I'm out I will either drink (alcohol) or eat, not both and that way I get away with just having a few fries. Also I try and eat before I go out there is nothing worse than being in a toilet trying to bring back the item that is stuck. All my friends are always on a diet so they don't think twice and my weight loss is so slow that they don't think 'ooh she's had weight loss surgery'. Also the major factor is I live on my own so it's easier....

Me too!! It comes and goes I'm sure it's tied in with my emotions but now I'm at the point when I know before I eat if I'm going to struggle or be able to eat a buffalo as someone said before LOL! Sometimes I can't eat until the evening sometimes the restriction is in the evening. My band has PMS LOL!!

Don't give up!! I felt the same, I was banded 1 year ago and for the 1st 6 months not a lot happened (about 10 pounds) but I have to admit I wasn't trying very hard. I then got a fill and for the 1st time I felt restriction and while the restriction lasted I started to lose weight. I took me the 6 months to acknowledge that this is really a life change not just a 'get to goal' thing. Every time I get a fill I have to spend weeks re - adjusting to my new eating habits and it is hard everytime. Some days I'm not hungry so I can eat sensibly but other days I'm starving (mostly head hunger) and I might eat chocolate, ice cream and all other easy to go down foods just because I want to feel like I'm actually eating food. The foods I should be eating can take too long and is sometimes frustrating! However you have to work out what foods work for you and what don't. I think people fail to realise that it is still really easy to cheat on this and for me if I'm emotionally upset then I still want the comfort foods. Give youself time to accept this and then take it one day at a time. What keeps me going is no matter how slow the weight is coming off I have not put on weight since I've had the op. I remember standing in front of the mirror at my heaviest saying to myself 'If I could just lose weight no matter how slow I would be happy'. Good luck.

I went to Belguim and I live in London. I went on my own and had no problems - you just have to plan well. I took the Eurostar, stayed 3 nights (1 night before the op,, 1 night in hospital and 1 night after at the hotel) because I wasn't sure how I would feel - at a push I could have gone straight from the hospital back home. The hospital and hotel staff were amazing and I didn't feel alone because there were other people going for the op too. Here is the company I used Cost Of The Procedure - Surgical Obesity Solutions You just have to do your research. Also not having christmas dinner is a pretty hard thing to do are you sure you don't want to wait until after? Good luck.

hello - I'm a slow loser too. Although I don't feel like one - as far as I'm concerned a year ago I weighed a whole lot more so it's all good!!! Keep up the good work fellow bansters!!

Hello! You are not alone. I had exactly the same problem. I ended up banning the foods that were causing me problems from my house in the end - I was just too weak and I couldn't resist it if it was in my cupboards, also the main reason I ate these food is because it went down easily. You have to find a balance - I now make sure I have foods that take me forever to eat because they require proper chewing - these foods fill me up and when I think of the effort of eating it helps to stop me from over eating. I do allow myself some foods like cheese and ice cream but only when I'm really craving it. Also in my case I was taking the contraceptive pill and I found that I would turn me into a nut case over food so I've now stopped taking it and I feel like I have better control. It's taken me about 6 months to adjust to this new way of life so don't beat yourself up! I still find myself throwing away perfectly good food because I've had a moment of weakness and filled my fridge with the wrong food. It all takes time. Since I had the op nearly a year ago I've managed to keep the scales going downwards (sometimes very slowly but still down) so I'm happy.

Hi everyone - nearly 1 year in and I still haven't told anyone at all. I don't really think about it in respect of whether I should tell people or not anymore. I haven't found it particularly hard as I now live on my own and when I go out to eat with friends I just pick more mushy foods like mash pototo or soups and although I eat very slowly so no one thinks twice about what I'm eating. When I get a fill I make sure I avoid going out to eat (it's not a problem drinking) until I adjust to the new eating regime. I'm glad I didn't tell anyone because it has taken me 6 months to get used to having the band and making it work for me and it has been nice not having the extra worry about what will people think. Now I seem to be on track to losing weight so I'm pretty happy. I don't think it's cheating not to tell people because it is still a battle to lose weight - I still have to work out and make the right choices in food but the band does help me tremendously! Getting it has been the best decision I've made in a long time. Good luck to those that are battling their way to goal.

Fantastic news!!! Enjoy it!!!

Woo Hoo - I've just come back from St Lucia and I'm still jealous that you're going :biggrin:. I got filled a couple of weeks before I went too (I think I have finally hit my sweet spot with this one ) - I would suggest just being extra cautious when your eating taking small bites, chewing well until your sure the food is going down well. I didn't have any problems but I spent most of my time drinking rum punch . Have a good time!!

still haven't told anyone and I don't feel guilty. I lost 70 pounds on a liquid diet a few years ago and I told everyone I could find - I had 6 other friends follow me and try the diet, some with huge success and some that didn't succeed. After a year or two I put on all the weight and more (112 pounds) and everyone else put the weight back on too. It was hard to see everyone hit their goal become so confident and so happy and watch them panic as their dream fell through and they put on weight. I felt guilty for that (rightly or wrongly). I decided that whatever I did from now on would be my choice and something that was right for me. I am losing weight slowly but noone has asked me how because they have seen me do this time and time again so I suspect they are waiting for me to put it back on again! :thumbup: I'm not knocking anyone for shouting it from the rooftops but I've done it before and I took on everyone elses weight problems as well. Maybe I will tell people in the future but right now that's not the right decision for me. As many people have said it's up to the individual whether they say something or not. Good luck bandsters!!!

Hi Zagagirl, You are not alone in how you feel but no matter what, you are still less than when you started so that is a positive. I had surgery 4 months ago and I had the same thought as you, too embarrassed to admit to my doctor that I hadn't lost the weight but as someone pointed out to me (thanks Pammie!!) that's the point of the surgery to get the fills until you find the spot that works for you. I'm booked in for my 3rd fill on Saturday. Don't give up - book a fill and you'll soon be back on the plan, take it one step at a time and keep coming on this site for motivation.

Hello fellow UKers! Just wondered if there is anyone that is been banded in the near future from the UK or are you thinking about it? I know Sirusman is being done this week and I'm scheduled for the 8th October, just wondered if anyone else is out there and getting nervous. If you are and you're only lurking - get an account and come on this thread, let us know you're out there. FT

Great thread - I'm game. Well I've lost 11lbs in the 1st month I had my fill on nov 9th and since then I have completely lost my mind! Eating and drinking alcohol like a mad woman -it's like I'm trying to self destruct on purpose so this is it I'm back on track as of this moment. I have 3 more weeks left in my months so I will commit to: losing 7lbs exercising every other day - 60 mins each session 3 meals a day and no drinking with meals visit this forum daily to keep me focused! Thanks everyone on this forum - if it wasn't for you guys this would be so much harder. Good luck everyone!!

I would keep a food diary and work out how many calories you are actually consuming. If you're having enough maybe you need to add exercise. If you are following the rules and you're not putting on weight I wouldn't worry. Sometimes the body is stubborn and tries to hold onto the weight but it has to let go sometime! Good luck!!

Holly - you are not alone, after the op every day I stepped on the scales it went down - I was so excited, then as each week went by and I started to eat more food (mushies, solid etc) in bigger and bigger portions I started to worry and the joy has worn off a bit but although I haven't lost anything for the last 2 weeks my body has been changing and I've lost inches because my clothes feel better an ultimately I am eating less than pre op (I didn't do a pre-op diet). I have discovered that carbs really is my enemy and I can read my eating habits better. So try and find other things that has changed for you and take it one day at a time. I found joining the website sparkpeople dot com helps to keep you focused. Also I'm trying to add exercise to my routine. We have read many many stories on here with people that have succeeded we will all be a success story. Before the band, I couldn't sleep properly, I had heartburn every day, I ate huge quantities of food and I haven't got back to that stage so I feel like a success already. Good luck everyone!!!

Hello - just popped in from the October thread to say good luck to everyone. I've been banded since 8th October and I get my first fill on 9th November. I remember all the stress and worry I felt before my op and just wanted say it does get better, the pain does go, the gas gets less and in a month you'll be looking forward to your fill. My advice to everyone after the op is walk as much as you can to help with the gas, make sure you get enough fluids and remember that after the op is about healing and not losing weight. Good Luck!

That is lovely :confused: I always find kids are completely honest with you so it is indeed a beautiful compliment. Congrats on your weight loss so far.

woo hoo Racing Snake! Congrats on the weight loss so far. I'm glad your having a good experience. My weight loss has been at a standstill for the last 2 weeks but I'm not worried as I haven't put on. I'm due for my fill on the 9th which I will be grateful for . At the moment I'm treating this like a holiday and I'm not being as strict as I could be but I've started going to the gym again.

Just to say I did go abroad in the end with Dr Marc and it cost approx £3,750 for Surgery and 6 fills, Eurostar to and from Belgium, taxi to and from the hotel and Hotel accommodation. The hospital was amazingly clean, everyone was really helpful and understanding and I would do the same again in a heartbeat. I had no complications and I'm healing fine. Good Luck everyone. All I can say is make sure you are 100% happy with the surgeon you pick. I was.