sadie11

I too am addicted to sugar or actually I was addicted. I had the lapband back in March 2008. It has been a difficult psychological process for me. My only saving grace is that I have been patient with myself. I have let myself get adjusted to this band over the last year and a half. Lately I have not been interested in food and especially sugar. I have to start and end the day with Protein. It is the only thing that helps tame my sugar cravings. I have kept off the weight I lost initially for 9 months which NEVER happened before and that is the most valuable thing I have gotten from the band. Now I'm losing again but i have to really diet and exercise. At least it stays off. The band helps but it is still a struggle. Good luck on your journey. Sadie

My partner and I have had our bands for a over year now. It is an interesting journey. Here are a few things we have learned: 1. You still have an eating problem. I still crave sugar and now it's easier to eat it than regular food! 2. Keeping the weight off is much easier and probably is the best reason for me to have the band. 3. You still have to diet hard but the weight stays off. 4. Right after you get the band, start your diet and keep dieting until you get to the weight you want. Do Not Start Eating Sugar and junk until you lose your weight. I was doing well and losing weight until I binged on sugar one weekend and it has been wicked hard to get back into dieting. 5. Feels great to step on the scale and have it be the same number as last week. 6. You go through a true grief process missing the food you used to be able to eat. Still want a big ole hamburger. We have both had lots of changes in how we see food-- it is very emotional. Food is no longer there to sooth me. It's very hard sometimes. 7. A big plate of food makes me almost gag now. I can't believe how much I used to eat and how much everyone else eats. No wonder we are an obese nation! 8. It's much cheaper to eat out. We just share an appetizer now. Order and drink your drink before the appetizer arrives! 9. Very glad I got the Band but still hoping I lose more but I'm happy I don't really worry that much about my weight anymore. 10. Gaining and losing, gaining and losing is a wicked destructive cycle. 11. Love smoothies now with Protein of course! Good luck on your journey. Sadie

Sometimes I really miss being able to eat a regular meal. My band is pretty tight so I cannot eat very much at a time. I miss having a Thanksgiving dinner WITH a roll! I have sincerely mourned the loss of eating the way I used to. But it was going to kill me so I have accepted (reluctantly) that I cannot be trusted around food. I'm relieved to not have to struggle anymore but I still miss eating sometimes. I get what you're saying but I also don't want to end up like my dad who died from a stroke way before his time. You could have your band loosened a bit- before my last fill I could eat most stuff. they have a new band that has a remote control so you can loosen or tighten your band yourself! I could not be trusted with that! good luck to you on your journey. Sadie

I do Medifast pretty consistently. I really like it and it is the best way for me to lose weight and maintain my weight loss. I can erase my sugar cravings quickly with a couple of Medifast shakes. And the bars really help me to not overeat. I have 2 shakes in the AM and I am good to go until the afternoon. I now drink 2 shakes at once because 1 shake is too low in calories. I allow myself any Medifast bars I want. I find because they are so low in carbs that i hardly ever have more than 2 in a day. They do not stir up my sugar cravings. I can lose consistently with Medifast and expect to continue to drink shakes even when I reach goal. The sugar thing is a horrible habit I have and Medifast is the only thing I have found that tames it quickly and easily. I eat regular food too but rely on Medifast for a lot of my Protein. High Protein Shakes really help the pain with my arthritis and fibromyagia too. Why?? I have no idea. Sadie

I love Medifast actually- it's major protein and keeps me full all morning. And don't believe there is any wrong way to lose weight. I have done all the "right" things and now, at 59, I'm gonna do what works for me. I HAVE to diet to lose even with the band even though I exercise daily -- 3 miles walk/jog. Just my humble opinion. Sadie

I was just filled on Friday and I am tight! On the way home, I was considering turning around and going back for a small unfill. I was thinking" Gee all I'll be able to eat is a liquid diet" And bang! it came to me- what a great time to go back on Medifast. Perfect! I should also mention that I was wicked stalled with the band and not losing so I needed to do something. My band loosened up a little bit so I can eat just a little bit but I'm still doing the Medifast. Best diet I was ever on but of course, I gained back all the weight before my Band. As I have with every other diet but Medifast was very fast and pretty easy for me. I hardly ever hit a plateau. It is so much easier to do Medifast with the band- I am never hungry and sip the Protein shakes all day. Medifast is brutal without the band I think. I did it but I suffered and now I'm not suffering. In fact it's easier than trying to get stuff past the band. Medifast is the only Protein shake I like- everything else gags me. I love the Medifast bars too- they go down even if I am tight. I was wondering if anyone else is on Medifast. I have lost 4 pounds since Friday- Yea! It's working. On my way to goal. Love and success on your journey-:tounge_smile: Sadie

Hi all; Been away for a while but just got a fill and, man oh man, am I tight. What works for me is grinding up my chicken with a food processor and adding some low cal mayo with sweet pickles or relish and some chopped olives. If I eat really slow I can get down about 1/2 cup. With this fill, it takes 2 hours or so before I can eat or drink again. I'm doing some protein shakes to supplement my diet. I just can't eat enough real food- takes too long to go down. I also make egg salad with olives and that works too. I figure the olives are good for me! :thumbup: Good fat. I get too hungry without a bit of fat at every meal. So I'm back on the Band Wagon after my fill- hope to lose the rest of this darn weight! Success on your journey! Sadie

I am finally filled like you are and figured out this is the way it's supposed to be. I thought I might die of malnutrtion but it's loosened up a wee bit and I'm losing weight again. It's supposed to take 30 miutes for a meal! Or drink! Yikes! Sadie

Medifast is a liquid Protein drink, bars, Soup, and Snacks that all high in protein and low in carbs. Years ago I used it to lose a bunch of weight but the bonus is that it really helped my fibromyalgia and arthritis pain- it just went away while I was on Medifast. Medifast is online and is a complete food so you can live on it. It has been around for years and is similar to Optifast. I really like it becasue there are snacks, soup and I lose my cravings for sugar when I do it. I do not follow the strict plan which is 4 Protein drinks and one regular meal (meat and salad) per day. I drink as many protein drinks as I want and have a couple of bars which adds up to about 1000 cals a day. I eat a low carb dinner usually. The main thing for me is that I feel wonderful when I am doing it. My pain is gone and I feel younger! A real bonus plus I lose weight pretty quick. I have been stuck scalewise and after getting a tight fill decided to make the best of it and use up all the Medifast I have from before my band. If you follow the strict Medifast diet, it is brutal but just drink the protein when you need to and order some snacks and bars and you'll do fine. The bars are the best Protein Bars I've found- tastes almost like a chocolate bar!:thumbup: Google medifast and you'll see there are a bunch of sites. I knwo I can maintain my weight loss with my band but getting there has been tough for me- I'm a slowww loser and a sugar addict- enough said. Good luck on your journey. Sadie

I'm not sure why you responded to my question but I'm glad your method is working for you.

Gee I would hope so! We have some great info for her-- yuk yuk Sadie (not afraid to admit to having a Band!)

Oprah is addicted to food like I am. And even with her personal chef and personal trainer(who come to her house for goodness sake's) and millions of assistants, she still can't lose weight and KEEP IT OFF. So I feel vindicated about my choice of getting the band. If she can't do it with all the support and money in the world, I sure am going to have a really hard time too. I got the band to help me keep it off and I feel I made the right choice. Yea! I fell off the Band Wagon for a month or so but did not gain back all the weight I lost - just a small portion-- that's why I got the band -- to help save myself before disaster (or 40 pounds gained back!). Thanks Oprah for helping realize I did the right thing! Get WLS for goodness sake and stop beating yourself up. Admit that eating is a very powerful impluse for you - get some help. Sadie

Isn't the real purpose of the band to lose weight? My Dr. said it's okay- lose it anyway you can if it's healthy. Sadie

I don't know what is too tight but this fill has made me think I wasn't filled enough before. Now I can eat about 4 bites reallllly slowwwly and I am full for hours. It has made me concerned that I won't get enough nutrition actually. I could eat once a day and be fine. I am drinking Protein shakes and eating one meal later in the day. Otherwise I cannot drink Water after a meal for hours. It was hard to get enough liquid past the meal. I think this is what the fill is supposed to do. I was eating too much before I guess but I thought I was filled pretty good. Of course I wasn't losing :tounge_smile: so I guess I didn't know what a good fill was. Now I do! It is really restrictive! Lost 4 pounds in 2 days so far. Yea! I never thought I'd reach goal but now i have hope i'll get there soon. Good luck on your journey! Sadie

Oh yea - not gaining is a victory, isn't it? Most people would not understand that would they? My fill is tight and I think this is where I'm supposed to be. I can't eat more than about 4 bites of food before i am full and I'm full for hours! My primary care doctor is really tall and thin and admits to me that she never exercises and never did. She also has no cravings. So how is she supposed to understand me? I'll have to put my faith in Medifast I guess. And a wicked tight fill. Sadie

I find I don't crave sugar with a high Protein diet so I am doing Medifast. Fast weight loss for me with Medifast and pretty good stuff to eat like shakes, bars, and Soups and even some crackers. I also don't have to think much about what to eat. Really lowers my blood pressure too with low salt, low sugar. I can't lose weight with a regular food diet right now. I cheat wayyy too much. But I seem to be able to maintain my weight on regular food. So I'll do Medifast until I get to goal and then we'll see. I think being over 50 makes losing very difficult too so I need a more radical diet than some of the younger folks. After I lose my weight, I'll have to re-consider my ideal diet. Sadie

I like Medifast shakes and Protein bars. I hated Unjury- ugh! Medifast works for me and the chicken noodle Soup is very good. Buy online. Sadie

Froggy - I can't believe how I have changed too. And when I go to resturants I am appalled at how much people eat!!! The regular portions are huge! It would take me 5 days to eat what people are shoveling down in one meal. I have to be careful with non-banded friends because they can eat a full dinner. I am almost sick by the time they are done. I can see how I got fat eating what I thought were "normal" portions and, of course a bunch of "snacks". I ate all day constantly. Yeesh! My band helps me be normal. Yea!:tounge_smile: Sadie

I can drink Sunkist diet orange because it has pretty low carbonation. I tried others and the carbonation hurts me. I only have one a day or so. I think the idea about artificial sweetners is correct- it makes you crave sugar and food. So I'm drinking more water. All my skinny friends love Diet Sunkist now too! I also used to love!!! Diet Coke and now hate it- tastes like chemicals since my surgery so I drink water at resturants now- it's good thing!

I believe the medical profession really doesn't get it. I am addicted to sugar and when I mentioned that to my doctor after getting a fill on Friday- he said oh you can only get addicted to chocolate. Ha! I can eat sugar (and chocolate!) all day, every day and I love it. It satisfys something really deep in me. And the act of eating is a primal need for me. He filled my band alot so I am really tight now. I always have a decreased need for sugar right after a fill and I am trying to use that to continue my weight loss. I am doing the Medifast diet now and hope to lose a bunch of weight before the sugar addiction kicks back in on me. I have more control over food since the band but if I get on a sugar binge, the band only keeps me from gaining more weight. Which is a huge help to me so the band was worth it to me. I'll gain 3-5 lbs instead of 25! And I can lose it again pretty quickly. If they would only get a pill to stop this sugar craving. My doctor by the way, is positively skinny and has never had a weight problem. I can tell by the way he answers questions. He doesn't understand despite being a baratric dr. Only another addict gets it! Sadie

Hey Brad - I want to be a normal person too but if you weigh 343 then you are not a normal person- normal people weigh 160. Grow up and stop whining- you just don't want to give up your food or should I say your drug. It's my drug too and I don't want to give it up either. But I want to live more than eat. It's your choice but stop blaming the band and get with the program. Or start playing lots of golf now because you won't be playing when you are 70- you'll be dead or on oxygen. And that's the truth buddy....

The band is no magic cure but I can honestly say that it has helped me alot- like going from out-of-control and on my way to 300 lbs to at least holding my own and getting some help. And losing 35 pounds too. Do I wish it was perfect and made me a size 10? you bet!

Sugar is the death of weight loss with the band. I gained back 10 pounds eating sugar and it goes right down real easy. I just got a fill and my urge for sugar has vanished so maybe you are not restricted enough. Maybe you need a bit more. And stay away from those EASY foods! And I will too. Sadie

Jules- you sound fine to me. In fact if you can eat chili and crackers but not sandwiches, I'd be happy with that restriction. Sadie

I felt sorry for Palin during the interview with Katie- she is definetely Not Ready for Prime Time. She is out of her league. The very conservative National Review has several editors/columnists asking her to withdraw from the race. I feel sorry for her - she had no idea what she was getting into and it shows. I could NEVER vote for her. She is way too inexperienced to be VP never mind Pres. McCain made a huge mistake and has showed extremely poor judgement as he has been accused of in the past. Sadie