Retta1983

Thank you all for your advice! Particularly in regards to the dangers of so much vomiting. It feels like I am doing damage to my teeth. I emailed my surgeon and he said to go to soft foods/liquids until my appointment on tuesday when he will take some Fluid out of my band and arrange an xray for me to make sure that there is no more sinister problem. I have been away on a driving holiday wiht my husband these last three weeks so it's great to be home and to be able to work out how to fix these problems. I also haven't weighed myself since we went away so I'm really hoping to see a lower number on the scale. (kind of afraid to check!)

I am . . . let's see . . . 7 months in. I have lost 25kg's now or thereabouts (that's 55lbs to those of you who know that measure better) and just had a fortnight of up and down moods, anger and depression that I am still so far from my goal and even hatred at my lack of control. I still snack on chocolate at work even though the second it is in my mouth it tastes awful and makes me feel sick and lethargic. My exercise has improved, I have a walk in town at lunchtimes usually, except for the days I do a weights class at the gym (that's either once or twice a week depending on how my back is feeling) and I have stretches I do at home to help my inner core strengthen and improve my stability. To be honest I think I was intent on the exercise mostly because it was making me feel healthier. But I feel like I am really sabotaging myself - still eating chocolate at work and having to fight so hard not to buy that sort of thing - chocolate, pastries and bread (even though I know it makes me sick now), icecreams when my husband is not with me. How can this be? I know it physically hurts me now to do these things but I find it so hard to fight the urge to give in - to the point the other day where I struggled for half an hour in the supermarket before marching myself to the checkout and forcing myself to leave (and ending up in tears in front of the cashier because I wanted that food so much and the illogical part of me felt it would help!). Has anyone else been through this? Have you been unable to really recognise your progress and been sabotaging yourself so badly? I feel like such an idiot for this.

I have been having a bit of trouble trying to wrap my head around something. It's to do with trying for a baby. My usband and I are planning on trying for a baby this year (starting soon) and although I am so excited and happy about the potential to start our family I feel like I'm so stressed and worried. Is it likely that I will regain all the weight I have lost so far and get back all the back pain that has gone? Will I be strong enough to deal with everything that is to come? Mostly I am terrified that all the good that I have done by losing the last 25kgs and the hard work I'm doing to try to strengthen my body and make sure that those joint problems and my back pains don't take over my life as they used to. What happens if my body just goes back to being the problem that it was before and as a result our little baby suffers - that I can't do all I need to do to keep him/her healthy and happy and can't be the active mum that I have been longing to be? I feel like I would be letting down our little one from the beginning. I would be grateful for any advice!!

Thank you for your post Betsy :confused: Your words have put my mind at rest for certain and I plan to be proactive and if there are things worrying me about my back particularly (I have been being treated for lower back problems but the weight loss has made a big difference) I can talk to the doctor and they can tell me the best plan of action. My friend who had similar problems through pregnancy suggested a strong reinforcing band around that area that you can get at the physio which would really help. In the meantime keeping up the exercise and those 'inner core' strengthening stretches will hopefully help. So maybe I will put on a little bit of weight - that's ok as long as I can still hold myself upright and have times of relief from pain. I just want to be the best mum I can be (probably something every single new mum will want) - so I will do all that I can. And you are right it is an absolute miracle that you create a child and help him/her grow those first nine months. I'm looking forward to it very much :smile2: I have watched two of my sisters-in-law and one sister go through pregnancy and witnessed c-section recovery, babies who won't turn, a very large baby, long labour, problems with breastfeeding, teething, money worries . . . all of these stressful parts of the new baby's life but I've also seen so many wonderful things that make me realise how much I really want to get there too :eek:

I hope that things go well for you and you can be proud of the progress you make. I am in my 20s too and finally had the band after a year of considering, sometimes I find it rediculously difficult but returning to the basics, the food journal, just reminding myself of the changes that I have made and how much it helps. You'll get there! Believe in yourself :cursing:

I'm starting to get a little freaked out. some days i just don't feel like eating at all and feel sick at the idea - other days i feel like eating the whole time even though i don't feel the actual hunger and eat until i feel discomfort or pain. has anyone else out there been through this?

Hi there, I was banded in June and have lost around 14kg's now and am starting to have more trouble with keeping away from the chocolates, getting into shape and generally dealing with the fills and getting used to what I can eat. Seem to be getting sick all of the time lately! I would love to find someone to chat to who is in a similar place that I could share this journey with. Anyone interested? Retta

I need help - there is so much conflicting information and I really don't know what I should be eating each day. I've had my fourth fill now so can't eat tough meats or bread easily but other than that things seem ok. i also have a problem though in that I have a serious underbite and find chewing a lot is hard (my dentist is suggesting jaw surgery to correct it so that I can use my teeth more fully to chew properly). But in the meantime I need to find a way to eat regularly food that doesn't require as much heavy chewing and that will fulfill my nutritional needs Does anyone have any ideas?

I just wanted some advice - - it's scary but despite my best intentions and even reminding myself how good i feel after exercise or when I have seen a weight loss I can't stop snacking and chocolate being so close at hand at work that seems to be what I grab while I'm sitting at my desk. Has anyone else encountered this problem and got any suggestions? I have lost a fair bit of weight but feel like I'm really going backward and need help to get back on track. I don't really know what to eat and am flailing - - any advice would be much appreciated!

Thank you for the advice Christine :thumbdown: I will keep that in mind for today's shopping!

Thank you all for your advice! The chocolate is brought in by one of the other women in my team and she puts it by my team - - thus far I haven't told people about the band but think I will tell her about it and ask her to move the dreaded chocolate box and having someone at work know that i'm trying to lose weight will be an additional reminder to me (even if they never say anything) not to eat bad foods. I like the idea of having mints or healthier foods close by as an alternative to chocolate. Maybe yoghurt, a boiled egg or fruit would be good?

Here's mine (I have recently restarted it) Retta's ramblings

:smile: I'm starting to find things harder and harder. Have had the band for four months now and have lost 11kg's (that's 24.2 pounds I think), I was thinking about what I ate and seeing it reduce as I had my third fill - now having trouble with meat or breads in particular. I was into going to gym classes each week and doing a bit on my exercise bike but then I got sick and injured my neck as well and have found it hard to exercise again which leaves me feeling pretty depressed. Almost as if I need the exercise to feel at all good about myself and looking in the mirror I really don't see the changes in my body. Another problem has come up that I may need jaw surgery to correct, the dentist is worried that only four of my teeth connect when I chew (I have an underbite) and since my last fill I have found it very difficult to chew enough, eating is such hard work. I would be grateful for any advice . . .

Goodness I feel good to hear that other people are struggling too - not that I want others to struggle but at least I feel slightly less terrible about how I've been doing. This week I am starting to really think about what I'm eating again, although today I haven't felt all that interested in food lately I've been obsessed with food - what I should eat and try and push myself to have (not sure why). I feel better for feeling that little bit hungry but know that after days of a lot of hunger I'm going to have a lot of trouble. I have my second fill on Friday and hope that will make a difference - although I'm a little afraid after reading what other people have said that I won't see a real difference for a few fills yet. Wish it didn't take so long to get to proper restriction!

I am so happy to have found this thread, i've had one fill which doesnt' seem to have made me feel at all restricted and have been eating what feels like way too much . . . even though i concede that it's much less than i ate pre-surgery i'm still so disappointed and frustrated with myself. i have my second fill next week so i'm hoping i will feel something mroe and the restrictions on what i can eat will be more visible to me. meanwhile i'm trying to deal with my food problems in a different way, i went to hte gp who prescribed me medication to help calm my anxiety (which I usually medicate with pizza and kfc) and referred me to a psychologist who specialises in eating disorders so hopefully that will be a good path to head down while the band slowly helps me manage the physical problems of my eating issues.

Well I got banded on June 13, so third week in for me. i'm eating mush food now and just biding time until the solid food phase, I really find it hard distracting myself between meals and not snacking as this was always a big problem and find often that i feel tightness from eating a little too quickly so am working on slowing down. How are you two doing?