gardenqueen

Hi Everyone, I was here years ago, after I had lap band surgery which was a total waste of time. Had that redone a year after on the advice of my surgeon. Still didn't lose any weight and gave up for years. Recently had a revision to sleeve done with a different surgeon, they took out the band, waited 3 months and then did the sleeve 9/9. What interested me in the sleeve was the reduction of ghrelin. Not being hungry. Well I've been hungry since it was done. I'm following all the protocols but am really worried. Doctor said I can do the purees early, started that today. Can sense a tiny difference because I ate something warm - a little better than broth but not enough. I can drink as much as I want, and am able to eat a protein shake with 2 full scoops of protein with soy milk. Has anyone had a delayed start when noticing they were no longer hungry? I know the goal is real food and am looking forward to that but I don't understand why I am so hungry, and freezing - I'm so cold all the time! If anyone is going to write anything about head hunger please save it. I know the difference. I'm down 7 lbs, including what I lost before surgery, doesn't seem a lot given the liquid diet. I want this to work very badly, enough to have done 4 laparoscopic surgeries to be here. Thyroid and general health are good. I would be sincerely grateful for helpful advice, Thanks

hey R, we've chatted before and I totally know how you feel. I was banded on July 16th 2007 and have lost a very unsatisfactory 23 lbs. I do have a lower BMI - now I weigh around 195, but I have always exercised and am in really good shape. I'm the fittest fat person I know. I've been up and down with the fills because nothing was happening with actual weight loss. Recently my doc had me do an xray to see how the food was passing through my band, and it wasn't really. So now he took some out and I have no restriction but he admitted that it looked like there wasn't a pouch at all, that my band may be too high. Now I have to do a scope and we'll decide from there. I have never felt "full" like others describe. I'm either uncomfortable, because the food is in my esophogus, or waiting for it to go down because I'm still hungry. I thought I'd be a whole new me at this stage of the game. It is hard to see this working for others but not you. Seems like you have lost a little more since the last time we talked though. I would try a little exercise, even if its just for the distraction, have you ever tried group classes? I like the atmosphere because it makes me do things I wouldn't do on my own. As a beginner you can just modify. Even though I still consider myself fat I love going, at least no one can say I'm not doing anything about it! And a lot of larger size women forget how strong we have to be to carry our own weight around. Be strong!

Hi all, have read some of your chats and thanks for the info, but I can't seem to find anyone in my position...I'm 42, have been working out hard for just over 3 years - I am the fittest fat person I know. In order to get my lap band I had to do the South Beach Diet for around 6mo. I did it and was really happy with the results; I went from 220 down to 200. And I thought that if I just continued I could reach my goal without surgery. Ha! Then we had some financial problems and I couldn't be as strict with the diet -( I call this period my food bank diet). I did, however keep going to the gym. This is the hard part, because I work out really hard - I can do an under 8 min. mile, and take all the aerobics and step classes the gym has - I still gained 36 lbs. When I went back to see my doctor, I had to start all over again because he considered me noncompliant. When I finally had the surgery I was back to 220 - this was on July 16th. Since then, I have had one fill, which did nothing, and one more, which was too tight so they had to take it out. My band is a 4cc band and I have 1.6ccs total. I now weigh 200lb. 20 lbs. in 3 mos. for all that I do does not seem enough. I can eat anything, I have no restriction. Sometimes things stick and I have to throw up. I can't eat all my good foods - I went to eat cabbage the other day and that was a total disaster. I feel like I'm actually eating worse now that I have the band. I don't have a comfortable feeling of fullness ever - its either discomfort or waiting for the food to go down. I had this idea that I would be eating good food but just a lot less of it. I also have had a tingling in my left hand, pins and needles like, with constant shoulder pain since the surgery. Any suggestions are welcome, thanks!

Has anyone ever started out with no or super slow weight loss and then something happens? I'm wondering whether I'm at the right fill level or if this is ever going to work for me. I've only lost 20 lbs since being done on July 16th. I have had a second fill - last month I gained 3lbs. I go to the gym almost every day and work out really hard. I don't know what else to do, plus I have these ugly scars to remind me of what a failure this process has been so far.

I've had a constant, aching shoulder that sometimes turns into tingling in my left hand/fingers. I can't figure out any causes or relations to eating or exercising though. It gets worse at night. My nurse practioner said it was caused by repositioning during surgery, and that it is nerve damage. Well, I'd really like to know what the hell they did while I was under because my shoulder was fine before - in good shape even, I'm pretty muscular. So you think it is the band sitting/pressing on a nerve? How do you cure that?

I'm gonna call today for another fill. I don't think I've gained muscle, I've been working out consistently for over 3 years. I know I'm eating less but I still see the scale creeping up. I think I have a weird body - it becomes so efficient at burning calories that its frightening. How can someone burn over 700 calories on an eliptical machine, eat under 1500 calories, have a supposed BMI over 1600 and not lose weight? I'm just discouraged, I had this idea that the surgery was going to work right away, that I'd be losing fast because I work so hard but I must not be at the right fill level yet. I've read other threads about how people are embarassed because everyone knows about their surgery and keeps asking them how much they've lost and I can totally relate. Thanks for your feedback, I'm trying to stay positive!

thanks, I think I need more in my band. Do you have enough energy eating so little, you're not hungry?

They added .3 ccs on Mon. but I don't feel any different. I know it sometimes takes time to feel a fill so I'll hang out a little while before I start complaining again! I was up 3 lbs. however, good thing that I went in to get it done. I can't even believe that I gained anything with how hard I work out. That kind of freaks me out. I know I'm eating less. It would be motivating to get under 200lb at least. This process is very slow. Is there anyone out there who lost nothing or extremely little at the beginning and then lost a lot?

hey all, I'd like to join you. My highest was 236, I'm now at around 200 but I've only lost 20 since being banded mid-July. Feel like I had weight loss surgery without the weight loss part! Going for another fill on Mon. I know they're gonna think I'm crazy cause I had to be unfilled about a month ago. Being overfilled was really uncomfortable but I need to get SOME restriction here or things are gonna get ugly... Where did you all start feeling full? I have a 4cc band and am at around 1.6cc now.