Anyone still out there..????

[LadyBelle 0]

I had my band put on in July of 2005. Did very well that first year, and lost 93 lbs...The next 2 yrs, I stayed the same, but the last 2 yrs I have started to gain again..... I found out my fill is fine, but my pouch has stretched out to twice its normal size, and can hold 2 cups now without pain or fullness feeling at all..

Dr. unfilled the band, and put me on 2 weeks of lig diet, so pouch would get smaller before refilling... I am still hungery after eating and never feel full, but when I eat certain foods, I will still slime and have PB's.... Any one else haveing this problem???? I have regained a little over 20 lbs and really need help!!!!

[kittykoo 1]

I had my band put on in July of 2005. Did very well that first year, and lost 93 lbs...The next 2 yrs, I stayed the same, but the last 2 yrs I have started to gain again..... I found out my fill is fine, but my pouch has stretched out to twice its normal size, and can hold 2 cups now without pain or fullness feeling at all..

Dr. unfilled the band, and put me on 2 weeks of lig diet, so pouch would get smaller before refilling... I am still hungery after eating and never feel full, but when I eat certain foods, I will still slime and have PB's.... Any one else haveing this problem???? I have regained a little over 20 lbs and really need help!!!!

[kittykoo 1]

Hey........

It has been a while since you posted this message, but if you are still there, I know exactly what you are talking about. I was banded in 2005 and lost 120+ pounds and have gradually stopped monitoring my weight and as a result, I have gained also. I hope that if you get this message, you will let me know how you are doing. I am trying really hard to convince myself to "get with the program" again and start over. (It must be working-I'm grazing on a salad for lunch!)

connie

[Nykee 13]

I am still here. Banded in 05. I lost 100 pounds the first year and no real weight at all since then. I have another 100 or more to lose. My band is tight. Real tight. I choke almost daily just to maintain my weight. I drink too many liquids and junk food. Dont know what to do since I cant get a fill, lest choke on Water. .. just stuck.. unless of course I diet and exercise.

[kittykoo 1]

We have a lot in common even though our circumstances may be quite different. My band is at capacity so I am pretty limited in the variety of food I can eat. Unfortunately, that in itself really doesn't help me because of my food choices. Anything that is good for weight loss, I don't like!

I think that one of the main reasons I lost focus is because I do not attend my surgeon's monthly support group meetings-but the reason why would be a topic for another day...........

I guess the main reason I am having trouble getting control of my weight again is that I can't get past my mantra: I didn't pay $18,000.00 to have to exercise every day"!

Now that we know that we are not the only one dealing with this issue, (and I suspect there are others like us), maybe we can figure something out. I think a good starting point for me is to apply the method to myself that I use at work: As long as I do what I did, I'll get what I got! If you have any motivational suggestions, please pass them along.

I hope today is a good day for you and that tomorrow will be even better....................

[jfc193 718]

I was band in September 07 and Two years ago, I hit onderland and then kinda stop paying attention to what I was eating, Stopped exercising and sadly stopped visiting this board, and gained 15 lbs. To get motivated a year and a half ago I I had a fill but the fill was to tight and then had to have the fill removed and continued to gain weight. By January 1, 2011 I weighed in a a mighty 245 lbs. January and February I lost 10 lbs. Went to the DR and received a fill on March 1 and since the fill I lost another 11 lbs.

So I have lost a 21 lbs an am trying to stay from those soft comfort foods that cause me to gain weight. I have started to walk which was my main exercise and.

It is possible to get back on track.

Jack one of the moderators of this board mentioned in one of the responses in the men room in the "Help I lost my Restriction thread" That we have to learn that comfort food is not really comfort food. He also mentioned something that finally made some sense to me and that is "be able to recognize the simple difference between 'hunger' and 'not hunger'." Jack 4-2-11

I am beginning to remember that what made me successful two years ago was that I was only eating only when I was truly hungry and because t was available or I was bored. On the other hand 4 years ago I might of lost 50 lbs but would of gained lbs The best news is that I still do not have to take medicine for diabetes and do not have to use a cpap machine so still many things to be thankful about.

Hopefully the following link works http://www.lapbandtalk.com/topic/121891-help-i-have-lost-my-restriction/ to see the entire post, Though it is in the Mens room and you might not want to be there to long.

[Jachut 487]

Banded December 05, had an unfill five months ago for another surgery and have remained unfilled since then since I have another surgery to go. I can still get stuck and slime on really bready items if I'm drinking at the same time. I have worked extremely hard not to gain weight and I havent, but its been a really big refocus for me, like mentioned above, over time you stop paying so much attention to what you're eating and i really had gotten too tight for me and was eating a lot of slider foods, I have absolutely enjoyed eating things like cold strawberries, raw carrots, yogurt, and wholemeal bread so much and I feel better for it, even though I'm having chemotherapy. Going tighter is not the answer, refocussing is. I never stopped exercising so I maintained my weight loss, which continued on towards the three year mark, but I lost the bulk of my weight in the first 18 months, down to a healthy BMI of 24, now I'm at 19.

I plan to refill a *little* bit after my next surgery which is to reverse an ileostomy. Reason being, I dont think I absolutely need to refill to maintain my loss and I actually could do with gaining a few pounds, but once the ileostomy is reversed, I no longer have a rectum, so I will have huge frequency and diarhhoea issues which are usually managed by eating very little during the day so that you can go to work and eating more at night when you can just be near the bathroom. I think having some fill and eating bandster style again - because I'm now eating larger meals (not huge, but bigger) that are filled out with a lot of salad and vegies to satisfy me. But I dont want so much fill as to induce weight loss and I wont go as tight as I was, I've realised that I *DO* have self control and good habits now, but that being satisfied on small portions will help with my issues that are not weight specific.

[Irish Girl 3]

Wow.....sorry to hear about people not doing so well after 5 years. I just had my "bandiversary" (4/28/2006) and a visit to my Doc. He said I was truly a success story for the band. I began my journey at 225 pounds. I did lose my weight within a year and a half of surgery. I lost 85 pounds which was a huge success for me since I never had any real success while dieting on my own. I exercise 3 times per week, not every week, but I really try. If I see my scale creeping up, I know I need to focus, focus, focus. I use an Iphone app called "lose it" to track food and exercise. When I use that app, I have to be honest with myself. I have about an 8 pound weight fluctuation. I am maintaining my 85 pound weight loss and am very happy about this. I have found that I really enjoy bicycling, hot yoga and racquetball. I know that I can't have a sedentary lifestyle if I want my band to help me. I made a promise to myself when I began this life changing decision ---- I would NEVER let myself get that far out of control again. Life is too short. Take care all.

[sinda 0]

I was banded in 2004. I lost around 130 pounds, I think, before getting pregnant. I actually lost weight during my pregnancy because I was throwing up constantly. I had a slip (not sure if it was before the pregnancy or during it), that got much worse with labor, so I had a revision when my baby was a few days old. I didn't get any fills for a long time because I was breastfeeding.

I gained some of the weight back when I could eat again (amazing how much you lose when you can't eat for 6 months), but even at my (post-op) high I was still 75 pounds under my pre-op weight. Fast forward--I've now had a second baby (he's 6 months old), I've finished breastfeeding again, and I'm back on the wagon. I'm down another 35 pounds since my second baby was born, and things are looking good. I'm excited to be losing again! I'm also REALLY glad that the band is adjustable; if it weren't, I don't know how these last several years would have played out.

Anyone else still around?

[OneToughCookie 1]

I've only just joined this forum, but I'm another 2005 Bander here. Had mine in Dec 2005. Lost just over 60lbs initially.

I'm my own worst enemy, and have managed to gain everything back over the past few years.

Am now back on the wagon, and hoping that joining this forum will give me the extra push I need. I don't know anyone else with a band (other than one friend who I haven't kept in good contact with lately), so I'm hoping that being around others who are dealing with similar struggles will give me some support that I've been lacking.

[eyes4den 0]

I got my band in 2005 also and lost 85 lbs but I still have weight to lose it is a day to day challenge. I am happy I got my band and am trying to get back in the swing of things after a back issue has kept me from exercise for a while now.

[Jack 855]

just chekcing in, wondering how you're doing since the last post?

I'm plugging along....year 11 is coming up fast....

[jfc193 718]

Having my surgery in September of 2007 I feel like a newbie on this thread.

Progress still continues to be made I made it back up to 250 in January 2013 but since them I am hanging around 200 and hopefully by the time I have 8 year anniversary in September I will be back under 200, which will be 27 years since I was consistently under 200 lbs.

I still have plenty of weight to lose but having the band is a consistent daily reminder of where I have come and I will continue to make progress if I follow what works for me.

Edited August 18, 2015 by jfc193

[Jack 855]

"I still have plenty of weight to lose but having the band is a consistent daily reminder of where I have come and I will continue to make progress if I follow what works for me."

Pretty much describes my own status.

Cheers!

[Aiya Maston 1]

Got my band in March of 2005. Lost about 200 lbs. So nice not to be hungry 24/7! Only troubles I've had were a large hiatal hernia, which was repaired without incident in 2010.

Usually, I gain a few pounds over the holidays and clean it up after the New Year. This year I did that and then immediately started gaining weight again. After I figured it out, (it took me a while!) I realized I needed a fill. It turns out I haven't had one in four years. My band was close to empty, so it's taking a few tries to get it adjusted again, but I'm sure a lot calmer with some saline on board.