I'm still at a loss...

[Cat Martin 0]

Hey Everybody, I'm not a big writer here and I really should be. I could definitely use the guidance and support that this site has to offer. But I am still at a loss, and not in the losing way. In fact I haven't lost anything but my original pre-op 10lbs and another 15lbs once I started getting fills. So that's about 25lbs lost. My surgery date was August 3, 2009 and at the moment I am 6.5cc in a 10cc band. I completely understand its different for everyone but my doctor said that is the usual sweet spot for most they have seen. I'm still eating like normal, no let me correct that. I eat 3oz and am still sincerely hungry. I am eating literally all day long because 3oz never makes me full ever. I drink Water, but my stomach just growls. So, what do I do? I eat some more. Occasionally, and I mean occasionally I actually have something get stuck and it'd be like chicken that was dry or something. I never throw up, ever. I am at a loss. I don't know what else to do and I hate going to the doctor if I hadn't lost anything. They tell me if they fill it more than its more than they'd like. Maybe I'm just one of those people that this just doesn't work for!?! I work out when I can, I love Jillian Michaels "Its not about your core, its about your whole body". I say when I can because my husband is deployed and I have 3 kids (5,2,1) and am a full time student as well as a workstudy at the college. I'm very tempted to pay out of pocket for a PE class because its not in my degree plan so the VA won't pay for it. Yes, I was in the Navy 10 years. I too am shocked I've gained so much weight seeing that I've had to maintain height/weight requirements. But, I'm just rambling now... Im just at a loss. My biggest fear is stretching my stomach and I can't even figure out if I've done that cause my hunger hasn't changed. I'm so sad. lol.

[ElfiePoo 109]

my doctor said that is the usual sweet spot for most they have seen. They tell me if they fill it more than its more than they'd like. Maybe I'm just one of those people that this just doesn't work for!?

If you can still eat to excess and you're still hungry, then you have not yet reached restriction and the band is still not 'turned on' so to speak. Sadly, I'm seeing this a lot here.

It doesn't really matter whether your doctor 'thinks' you should be in your sweet spot because most people are at this point, nor whether they're giving you more fill than they'd like. We are all unique and our bands are filled to our specific needs...not the masses.

Call your doctor and start getting your fills every two weeks until *you* can tell him you have restriction.

.

[vlp1968 83]

Sorry to hear you are having such a rough time! Hang in there, the band will work eventually. I agree you should talk to your doctor about being more aggressive with the fills.

I felt like the band was never going to work until I got my second fill. Now I feel restriction, although not as much as I would like.

Best wishes!

[emjay 8]

Cat -

It does sound like you need more of a fill. If all I ate was 3 oz at a time I would normally be hungry too. I measure my food occasionally and I would say I can eat around 6-7 oz of food at a meal - but that also depends on what it is.

Every sweet spot is different. Even though many of their patients are at their sweet spot at your level doesn't mean you are. You should not be hungry for at least 3-4 hours after a meal. Remember to eat the recommended level of Protein for you and that should help with your hunger. Also you may want to up your Fiber intake which also helps you feel full longer. I actually put in 2 Tbsp of Benefiber in my Protein shake every morning. Takes me about 2 - 2 1/2 hours to drink it, but I'm usually not hungry until around 2pm in the afternoon.

In my opinion, everyone's band experience is somewhat unique. You will know when you begin to feel restriction. Keep getting your fills until you get to your sweet spot and don't let your doctor talk you out of it. You should not have to feel like your dieting your way through this experience to lose weight. Just try to eat healthier, get enough Protein, up your Fiber intake and drink enough fluids to keep everything "going".

Best of luck to you!

[Cat Martin 0]

Thank you so much. If I didn't have scars in my stomach I wouldn't know I had surgery. I never thought about Benefiber in my shake, In fact the only time I think about Benefiber is when I am "backed up", lol. Which is actually pretty often. I never feel light, if you know what I mean. I'll have to definitely try that. But I've had 2 fills. One big one, which brought me from 4cc to 6cc and a small one getting me to 6.5cc. The last 2 times I went to the doctor for a third fill, they made me wait 2 more weeks each visit and made me come back with food logs and workout logs. So, when it came time for the most recent appointment I missed it. I'm feeling like its a waste of my time and gas. I live 2.5 hours from the doctor so all this back and forth is just getting me angry. But I'm going to schedule that visit for a fill. I hate feeling like I'm being put in a spotlight like I know who killed Kennedy. I just want to lose weight, lol. I understand the overall goal is to get back into reasonable foods and portions, but is it all bad to just stick with the shakes? Or will my metabolism really take a hit? I mean how much slower can it get!?!

[ElfiePoo 109]

I understand the overall goal is to get back into reasonable foods and portions, but is it all bad to just stick with the shakes? Or will my metabolism really take a hit? I mean how much slower can it get!?!

Everyone will have their own *opinion*. My doctor doesn't care if I live on shakes *as long as* they keep me from being hungry. Some will say that shakes won't keep you full and that may be true for them but it's not true for all, so that will depend on you.

Your metabolism will not slow, and your weight loss will not slow down, just by drinking shakes. That has more to do with how many calories you take in. Studies have shown that when you drop your calories below 1000 per day, your body goes into starvation mode. It drops your metabolism because it thinks you are starving and begins to burn lean muscle. Your weight loss will slow. Women who keep their daily calorie count between 1200-1400 lose faster.

It sounds as if your doctor is using your band as a reward/punishment. I'd have a serious sit down with them to find out if they understand *why* the band works and explain to them that fills are not based on whether or not you've filled out all their forms correctly. They are based on whether or not you are hungry and still able to eat to excess.

You know...when I first started considering the band, I was told that the failure rate was high. Less than half the people who got the band lost even 1/2 of their excess weight, while 100% of bypass patients lost over 1/2 of their weight. After reading the many posts just on this forum, I'm beginning to think that failure rate has less to do with the person being banded and more to do with the doctors who misuse the band as a reward/punishment and/or who do teeny little fills over a long period of time (several months). It's no wonder these people only lose 25 pounds over a period of a year. They're still trying to lose weight without the help of the band.

If you find you have a doctor who falls into this category...and isn't willing to be taught or change...I'd start looking for another place to get fills. Just my .02.

.

Edited January 19, 2010 by ElfiePoo

[Tish5632 0]

Oh Cat, I can SOOOO feel your pain. I was banded 7/3/09 and I lost 20 pounds pre-op. I have 5cc in an 11cc band and I also have nearly no restriction yet. My stomach growls most of the day and I try so hard to be good, but it's really hard. I'm going for another fill next month and I hope to get at least another 1cc in the band. I'm so ready to reach my "sweet spot" and have my band helping me. After all, if we could have done this alone, we won't have had the band surgery. Keep your chin up!

[emjay 8]

Cat -

Just make sure if you choose to add a Fiber supplement to your Protein shake to increase your fluids throughout the day. Otherwise, you could make yourself more constipated by not getting enough fluids/water in your diet.

I don't think it's a great idea to live on Protein shakes, I have 1 daily in the morning just because I don't particularly like to eat Breakfast and it gets about 1/2 my Protein out of the way for the day. You should try and get your protein and nutrients from the foods that you eat and not necessarily all supplements.

I know your anxious to lose weight - it never comes off fast enough! But be firm with your doctor's office and don't allow them to make you feel like you aren't doing your part. I didn't like to hear that your missed your appointment because of how they made you feel. That is not a good relationship with your physician's office and I would certainly let them know that. Maybe that approach works for some of the patients, but I guarantee it doesn't for everyone. If I felt like I was being put down and not trying I would be hesitant to go back too.

Good luck and keep trying. It is a slow process, but hopefully one you will only have to go through once!