I am failing

[GipsyGirl 6]

II was banded October 6th 2010 and lost 40lbs in the first three months... but then - then it all got out of hand. I have no restricition even though when I go to have my fills and drink barium it hardly goes through. But then I go home and - no problem.

I feel like I failed. I feel like its another failure in loosing weight. Even my boyfriend always reminds me to stop eating.

I did loose 42lbs... that is great...

it has been 6 months since the surgery and they are trying phentermine again but it only makes me 20% less hungry.

I eat about 75% of how much I was eating before the surgery.

Anyone - ??? Anyone??? Does anyone have or had the same problem and how did you deal with it???

[jenn79co 13]

you are NOT failing! You have lost 42 pounds in 5 months! I have lost 80 pounds in a year in a half. it takes time, it took me 8 monthes of fills before I had any control over my hunger.

It doesnt happen over night. Hang in there and keep looking forward.

[happiness1 1]

How many fills and how much is in the band? I think its weird they gave you diet pills again...

[Mommyto1 1]

I was banded on October 15 and I've lost about 50 pounds. The first few months, I felt like I was losing really good. The last month, I've hit a plateau. Haven't really lost anything. My doctor said it could take 4-6 fills before I start to feel restriction. I have a fill scheduled for tomorrow and I'm hoping that helps.

[carolann0117 5]

I noticed that I have a better week if I walk at least 3Xs (tread mill or a DVD) for 45 minutes and seriously cut down on my carbs. I also keep a journal of all my food..... makes me be accountable because I know I could eat MORE.

I'm sure you'll be fine... just need to re-focus. What you've lost so far is a SUCCESS!!!

[HeatherinCA 10]

The question here, are you hungry.. or do you just want food? Even diet pills won't prevent you from eating cause you want to.

I will probably sound like the bad guy here, but you have to be responsible for what you are eating and how much. The band won't tell you if that's good for you, or if it has too many calories. food journal helps, keeps me responsible for what I'm eating. Measure your food, exercise... I make excuses all the time for what I eat! It's what we do as fat people.. if it gets out of hand I just re-focus. Go back and remember the band rules.

[ElfiePoo 109]

As Heather already said, if you're eating because of cravings or just to eat...the band won't help with that. One way I've eliminated the cravings is to eliminate all wheat, gluten, sugar and sugar free products (cuz the artificially sweet still makes me crave sweets).

If you're hungry, you need a fill. When the band has enough fill (and that will vary for each of us), the hunger should go away.

.

[Jack 855]

We can not pretend that food will satisfy what is non-physical hunger. We can not pretend that notions of 'full' or 'restriction' is adequate to address whether we can rationally train ourselves in perceiving why and when and what and how much we eat.

[tallgirl 2]

Oh honey, do not feel bad. There are plenty of us people out here that it takes longer for to lose weight. I was banded on October 12, 2010, and I have lost 31 pounds. And I am THRILLED that I am down that much. I have to be honest, in the beginning I was reading posts on here all the time, comparing me to everyone else, and it felt like I was the only one that was down 1 or 2 pounds each week.....that it took waaaay to long for me to lose weight. But then I snapped out of it, and stopped the comparisons.

I am who I am, and I am happy that I am down 31 pounds, and I am doing what I can to make this band work for me. Yes, it is hard sometimes to not eat the yummy candy, etc... Sure it is, that was a part of our lives for so long, and if I think that I can just snap out of it, I am delusional. It takes time to change our lives and even longer to change our brains.

So for you to have lost 40 and some pounds, PLEASE be happy about that and be proud of yourself. We are all taking it one day at a time. So if you feel that you have eaten too much one day, let yourself feel horrible, and try your best to remember that feeling for as long as you can. It will make it a little easier to stop eating the next day.

That you can't feel your band, that sucks babe! That I don't know what to tell you, but obviously there is something wrong with it if the Dr. feel that he can't put anything more in the band, and put you on pills again. Very weird, and that sucks big time!!

So, to wrap this up, 40 pounds is awesome...and taking it slow will be better or your skin anyway....you don't want to look like an old wrinkly bag when you are skinny! HA....at least that is what I am telling myself!

[minimeme 1]

For me, full restriction really didnt set in for many months. You are still only a few months out of surgery. It will come. But in the mean time, do try to stick to your portion sizes and stay away from slider foods. I cannot stress strongly enough about slider foods. You band does not work when you eat them. You have to eat the correct foods.

[Jack 855]

GipsyGirl: sorry my post was truncated the other day, I had a power failure at the wrong point. The Bandster Lifestyle is like walking a path that goes through different unexpected areas in the forest, with hard climbs at times and unexpected glimpses out over paradise!

By just taking one step at a time we will progress toward our goal. Frustration is part of the exhilaration!. Learning what the crucial and sometimes minor choices are, that make every day better than the one before it. Can you identify at what point in eating a meal you become 'NOT' hungry? If so, that is a glorious victory!

My observation, is that Normos eat when hungry, then stop. I never learned how to do that until postOp. Now I can do it automatically about 75% of the time. The crucial secret for me, was learning to recognize 'satiety' instead of focusing on 'not full'.

[MollyRN 28]

I totally FINALLY get this whole issue of eating because you want to - not because you are hungry. I think I have felt physical hunger 2 times in the last 3 months. And that's only because I was out and went like 6 hours without eating. If your band is appropriately tight, you won't be hungry. The other thing for me is that my band is so tight that eating is a pain in the ass - and that sure has an affect on mindless eating. Get your band tight enough to ensure that there is NOTHING mindless about eating....make it a chore. It was then that I realized that I had to have some precision about what I was eating. The other thing is to go easy on yourself - Celebrate your 40 lbs and move on to the next step.

[54Shirley 105]

II was banded October 6th 2010 and lost 40lbs in the first three months... but then - then it all got out of hand. I have no restricition even though when I go to have my fills and drink barium it hardly goes through. But then I go home and - no problem.

I feel like I failed. I feel like its another failure in loosing weight. Even my boyfriend always reminds me to stop eating.

I did loose 42lbs... that is great...

it has been 6 months since the surgery and they are trying phentermine again but it only makes me 20% less hungry.

I eat about 75% of how much I was eating before the surgery.

Anyone - ??? Anyone??? Does anyone have or had the same problem and how did you deal with it???

I HAVE A IDEA OF WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. i EVEN HAVE A POST PROBABLY ON THE 2ND. PAGE SAYING i WANT THIS PIECE OF JUNK OUT !

i suggest you read that whole posting.

I went under fluoroscope, and a fill with a adhesive in it. In case their is a leak it will plug it. I went to a new Dr., and what a difference... I was filled 10/31/2006.

in 2007 My problems started. It took till now ! ! ! to get this fixed, and back on track. You don't want to wait that long.

Your not a FAILURE ! the same as I was not. I lost over 120lbs. almost regained it all, and now it's back to the very beginning. Yep I will start again. I'm just glad it's fixed. Fluoroscopy is painless, and they, and you will see the whole band. They can see what's wrong. It's the way to really do this.

Shirley.

[kelbelle29 5]

I totally understand. I cannot get food out of my mind. I have only lost about 24 lbs in the last 8 months I eat what I want and don't exercise nearly enough. Carbs are my biggest problem. You are doing absolutely amazing compared to me. Keep up the good work

[54Shirley 105]

I totally understand. I cannot get food out of my mind. I have only lost about 24 lbs in the last 8 months I eat what I want and don't exercise nearly enough. Carbs are my biggest problem. You are doing absolutely amazing compared to me. Keep up the good work

This is a step by step process. Each time you get a fill, you get closer to a point where food doesn't even turn you on. Yeagh just like a smoker, it's there ! You just really don't care to eat anymore.

I'm telling you fluoroscope is the way to go, and they will take it from there.