mrslamica

Hi there! Well, here I go again...I'm starting over. I was originally banned in 03/2010 and successfully lost 62lbs. Unfortunately, I had to be unfilled COMPLETELY in April 2012 due to complications with my pregnancy. As a result...and my irresponsible eating habits, I gained all of my weight back plus 10lbs. So, here I am, starting completely over...and it's bitter sweet. I didn't lose as fast as I'd like to - so in a way, this is like a "do over." This time, it's going to be different. I am a seasoned "bandster" and I now realize that my niave idea that my band is a "Magic Button" that will allow me lose tons of weight effortlessly was just plan stupid. I now know that it takes HARD WORK and a DEDICATION to changing the way you think, eat and live. I am a mommy now and my life isn't about me anymore...I want to live as long as I can so I can watch my son grow. Although, I do not have any health issues at this point in my life, I almost died carrying him...and I know it wasn't ALL because of my weight but I can't help but think it had SOMETHING to do with it. Believe it or not, watching him fight for his life for 8 long weeks changed my opinion of food altogether...it's one of those "ah ha" moments you have where your realize what was important yesterday isn't important today. Well...until 10/10/12 food was a priority and a luxury. Now, it's a necessity but only the good stuff. I don't expect myself to wake up one day and magically not have an addiction to food but I have made more than one positive step towards stepping away from the table and onto a treadmill (or Xbox Kinnect in my case)! So here's to a new year, a new baby and a new Lauren - I'm pretty freakin phsyched

Sounds a lot like my situation. I started at 272 (2/2010) and my lowest was the low 220's (6/2011). I got pregnant last March and and all of my Fluid removed due to my fear of morning sickness (which I never got)...what I DID get was Preclampsia - which slowed me down A LOT and of course the "mommy muchies" that caused a spark in irresponsible eating and resulted in the gaining of ALL of my lost weight back - PLUS 10 LBS!!! I just went last week for my first fill and after 2 HOURS, 14 needle pricks and a trip to my Bariatric Surgeon's office (usually NOT protocal) they finally found my port. Talk about feeling 2 inches tall...the way he looked at me and said "now, young lady - we need to get you back on track!" Now granted, he didn't know I had a TERRIBLE pregnancy and that was why I had unfilled - he only knew I had unfilled and I was heavier now than I was 3 years ago when I first enterd his office for my consultation. Don't give up...I'm not. I, too am considering WW as a suplement to my band as I admit I have a food addiction - and a handful of medical complications that make it a total b*tch to lose any weight (PCOS, Metabolic Syndrome and just plain ole LAZY jeans). I'm also doing Couch to 5K with a friend to hold myself accountable for some kind of physical activity - not to mention Zumba on my Xbox 360 Kinnect. For ladies like us, it's not just cut and dry - use the band and lose weight...we have to get creative. The key is to be CREATIVE and not get DISCOURAGED. Think of this as a season, a short one at that. Feel humiliated now but triumphant later. Accept the reality of your situation but don't let that define the outcome without a FIGHT!! The sweetest wins are often the toughest fights. Good luck and feel free to PM me if you need to

I was banded March 2010. I have lost 44lbs since my surgery - that's my problem. Before my surgery, I joined this forum and began reading all the success stories from women who lost upwards of 100lbs in the first year! I was super pumped - I didn't start loosing hope until I realized that I was losing weight at a snails pace and it wasn't working as well as I thought it was going to. At my tightest, I was 7.5cc in my band - I could still eat bread, Pasta - pretty much everything but I had severe acid reflux and I had 2.5cc removed last week and now I can eat ANYTHING, guzzle Water, eat fast, the whole 9 yards - like I'm not even banded! Could I have slipped my band or stretched my pouch?! The only thing I can attribute my slow weight loss to is my lack of exercise because I CERTAINLY wasn't overeating...if anything I was under-eating! I'm feeling defeated...I went through the pain and expense to have this done as a TOOL to help me change my life and I am not discrediting the 44lbs that are no longer on my body BUT I'm not normal - not when all these folks are posting their magnificent weight loss stories! I am in a unique position because my surgeon is in the process of moving to a different hospital and opening up a new fill center. The old fill center is still open but when I went to have my Fluid taken out the woman took 30 minutes and 20-30 jabs to find my port and I was traumatized...I'm scared to go back and she never answers questions. I'm thinking of calling my surgeon's office and asking if I can come talk to him a little bit about my concerns because I'm starting to regret my decision to have the surgery in the first place - and I really hate that feeling:( as I am usually a "glass half full" kinda gal. I guess my main questions are: (1) Is it possible that my band flipped? (2) Could my pouch be dilated? (3) Could my pouch be stretched out? If so, is that fixable without surgery? (4) Is anyone else losing this slow? Is it normal? Thanks in advance - any advice is greatly appreciated.

Yes, it would be easier to stay away from the carbs...but much easier said than done. I mean, most of the woman on here CAN'T have carbs with restriction...that's been another frustration. As a note...I'm honest by saying I eat carbs but I don't over indulge...I've never been that type. Also, my surgeon told me I needed to eat whatever I wanted, just within the portion restraints (and the obvious "no no" foods). I even stay away from ice cream and other sliders. I am also considering a nutritionist to help me pin point a problem.

Another question... wouldn't I have pain if my band slipped? Or wouldn't I have trouble eating/drinking? The only kind of pain I experience after my Fluid removal is the gas pain. What about dilated pouch - is that painful? I will research the 5 Day Pouch Test.

Thanks, I'm thinking seriously on it. I just want to make sure everything is okay with my band - I'm scared to death it's damaged or my pouch is stretched.

On average, I'm probably eating 1000-1200 calories a day. Before I had to have Fluid removed I did not feel full - I would stop eating because I was so miserable I could eat anymore. I would pb or throw-up almost every day (sometimes twice a day) since I have had fluid removed, I can eat approx. 1cup to 1.5 cup of pasta-like stuff or like a chicken sandwich, etc. Surprisingly, I feel full now (just had dinner) that I have had some fluid taken out - I think I was too tight...or filled too fast and that really hurt my progress. Drinking with meals - that's one concept I had an easy time grasping. Rarely do I even sip during a meal - only if I get extremely thirsty do I do that. I usually wait 15-20 minutes after meals to drink but it's NOT Water (usually) it's something like 1/2 and 1/2 tea or lemonade. I do not drink soft drinks AT ALL but I do have like iced coffee or a latte in the morning. As far as exercise goes - for approx. 6-8 months I walked every morning and I still slow to no weight loss. We have recently moved and I need to find a gym or hook my Kinect back up. I've also had my hormones and thyroid checked and they came back normal. I have a normal menstrual cycle and my cholesterol and blood pressure are normal (thank the GOOD LORD)!

I have the same pain, banded March 12, 2010. It's behind my sternum and tums sometimes helps. Mine gets so bad I cry. The funny thing is, it stopped when I went from 6cc to 7.5cc. I had some removed last week and it's back (. I personally don't think it's acid reflux...bc I had that too and it feels different. I have spoken with my Dr. and he wasn't concerned but the fact that I'm doubled over in pain is concerning...could it really be just gas?

On the weightloss end- you might just be a slow looser OR you might not be able to eat enough to burn fat in your body! I definately think you are too tight, they might do an unfill and do your fills more slowly and gradual. That is what my doc has done...he won't do more than a .25cc per visit. On throwing up - 1 of 2 things is happening: you are too tight and need an unfill or you are taking too big of a bites or gulps and have a sensitive gag-reflex (which I have). The only way to know is to have an unfill and make sure you are taking small bites and chewing 20-25 times per bite. I am a slow looser - 65lbs in a year and I excercise and eat right...some of our bodies are just SLOW! Be patient and I would definately suggest having an unfill...sounds like you are way too tight.