pbrown

Well I am in the same boat as I had my surgery in 2006 and at my lowest was around 155. I have gained and lost weight over the last several years, but am currently 30 pounds over my lowest weight. It is really discouraging as I always order salads when everyone else is ordering things I would like to eat, when we go out. Maybe I don't eat enough at meals and snack on nuts and eat too many. I don't eat breads or potatoes or rice even though I fix them for every on else. I need to get control on my diet. I usually have oatmeal and no sugar juice for Breakfast and then exercise on the treadmill for 30 min to I hour. . Many times I will have a yogurt for dinner, Soup at lunch. I will find my self taking a bite of cheese now and then during the day. Any suggestions???? It is very depressing as I not only paid a large amount for this surgery, but I ordered two pairs of pants the other day, same brand and size and can't get into them and I refuse to buy larger ones as I am NOT going to go back to my 235 pound self that I started out as.

Medications can certainly make a differance. I was banded in August 2006. I lost about 80 pounds and then stuck at that point. I was loosing every week. I was also on Topamax for migraines and it supressed my appetite. I was on that medication for 1 year and could not stand the side effects of being tired all of the time and like I was always in a fog. It didn't help the migraines so the neurologist said to discontinue it. I noticed a huge change in my appetite after I quit taking it. My appetite returned and I felt hungry alot more of the time than when I was on the topamax. I could not ever get to my goal weight that I was 20 pounds from. Now I have put on abput 15 pounds over the last three years. I was going to support groups and did have a fill two years ago when I was 10 pounds heavier than my lowest, but it never helped me to loose any more weight and since have gained 5 pounds more as of now. I think I will try to get back to a support group and really think about what I am eating, as I do think I still have restriction, but have become too complacent about my eating. Maybe a support group would help to keep you motivated and accountable, where you have to continue your medication. I guess writing down everything you eat as well. Writing down when you exercise. I tend to eat small meals, but get hungry or bored and take in several Snacks during the day , particularly unsalted peanuts.

Another remedy that I have tried at the suggestion of others on this web site is to take a small drink of pineapple juice. I think the acid in it helps to dissolve whatever you have eaten and then it just passes on down. I had read this several times and then decided to buy some in case I ever got stuck and when I did it did work. Don't drink a lot but just a couple of small swallows and then wait a minute or two. I buy the small cans and they can even be carried along in case you are out somewhere and have a problem.

I had a fill a week ago and it has helped curb my appetite a bit. So I thought I would step on the scale today since it had been a week and I did lose 2 pounds. The weight really comes off so much slower as I try to get rid of the last 20 pounds. I also went to a support group meeting here last last evening. It was a great group of people and I even knew one of the gals that was there and hadn't seen her for a long time. We sat and discussed issues that we all may be having with our journey with the lap band. It meets once a month and anyone can come that has had the surgery and wants to get ideas or ask questions etc. It is a relatively new group as my other support group met in the city where I had my surgery about a half hour away, but in the evening I really was not interested in driving out of town for that.

I was banded in August of 06 and lost 80-85 pounds. I have since gained 10-15 of them back. I got to a point where I hadn't been able to lose any for over a year. I had been working out on the treadmill 3-4 times a week for usually 45 minutes. This past December we had to get a new treadmill so I thought with a new workout program I would up my time to 60 minutes. I still could not make those scales budge. I went in for a fill last week and the nurse said I had 1.8 in my 9.75cm band. She had me drink water and kept adding more until I was at a 2.4cc. I felt some restriction for a day or two, but I am still getting hungry. I had a cup of cold cereal this am at 7:45 and my stomach has been growling since 11:00 this am. I don't know if that means my fill is not adequate or not. The other day I was so busy I had not even eaten lunch and really wasn't that hungry but finally had a salad at about 2:00pm. I get headaches so thought I had better eat. So....don't really know if I am filled to the "sweet spot " yet.

I had a fill of 1.8 and was banded almost 3 years ago. I hadn't been feeling any restriction, but when I went to get more yesterday I now have 2.5cc. My doctor says that 4cc is the most the band will hold?? I have been reading about people with fills over 6cc. Not sure what band I have.

Thanks for the information and I am going to try to make that April meeting. I know of someone else here in town that has had the lap band surgery and she may start to come to the meetings as well.

Thanks for the information Cyndi and I will try to make that April meeting as I have an appointment with you on the 10th. What time do you meet? I really think that the support group is kind of my "missing link" that could be very helpful to longer term success.

I was banded by Dr. Avila in Aug. of 2006. I had great results to start with and then after a year I wasn't losing anymore after my 85 pound loss. I probably should have gone back for a fill as it has been a year and a half now without a fill and I have gained back 15 or more pounds. I have been faithfully going on the treadmill 4 days a week since December for an hour and going for 3 miles at a time with no weight loss. I do have some restriction as it kicks in when I eat a piece of meat that is stringy or rice. But it seems like I can eat quite a bit of salad before feeling full. I need to get into a support group as I did attend one in Blackfoot where I had my initial surgery, but found it to be difficult to get there on a regular basis. So I have requested my records be sent to Cyndi Rice at our Pocatello fill center and am hoping to get back on track and lose my weight I have gained back and then some. I guess I am feeling like I have lost track of how I was able to lose the weight to begin with as it didn't seem all that difficult and for the last year or better it has been a struggle. I am hoping Cyndi can be of help to me. I have an appointment for April 10th and am looking forward to it.

Hi Faybe, I believe that my posting was not correct. I was banded on August 17th by Dr. Avila. I started at 237 and currently am at 153. My lowest was about 3 weeks ago at 149, but had to have an unfill at that point due to inflamation as I guess I may have been too tight. So I have lost a total of 84 lbs. I would like to get down a bit more. thanks for your work on this site.

Hi Faybie,Yes thanks for keeping the postings of everyones weight loss. Could you please change my dr.s name as it is not the dr. listed. It is p.brown Dr. Avilla Blackfoot Idaho. I am now down 83 lbs with 10 more to go. Thanks p. brown

I have been banded about 14 months now and have lost 80-85 lbs so far. My goal weight is to lose another 15 lbs. I enjoy fast walking on my treadmill. I have it set at a 5% grade and walk at about 3.2 mph. I can get in 2 and a half miles in 46 min. I walk as fast as I can as I am not a runner as I have some back problems. I usually listen to music as I exercise. I have noticed since I have lost weight it is easier to keep going and I can go at a faster pace without being winded. I try to do this most days of the week except on the weekends.