Total failure - no weight loss

[rn2012 6]

Well you just wrote exactly why your not doing so well. You can do it!! Pick 4-5 foods you do like and go from there. Pick a few protiens, a few veggies and try again. The great thing about the band is that it will be there to help you for the rest of your life. Maybe just go for walks to start and as you start to lose you can find a sport or something you enjoy to play.

Please don't give up - you worked hard to get the band in the first place!!

[tcraig37 1]

I posted that exact same post one week ago today. You will see it " I need help, fell off the wagon" I got all the same advice you have gotten. I took a really hard look at my life and my decisions. What I discovered about myself, is that I am a self sabotager. I know I am not supposed to have soda, but I do it anyway. I know I am not supposed to have an apple fritter, but if no one is looking what is the harm. The problem was, that I was not looking either. I started the 5 day pouch test on Monday. Monday was HELL, but Tuesday a little better, today, much better. You have to make a decision. Do you want to be fat or not. If you do, give up. Eat what you want, don't excercise, become complacent. If you do not want to be fat, do the 5 day pouch test, get a fill, see a therapist. I spoke with my pastor at church. I know it sounds weird, but he does not judge me. No one judges me like I judge myself, which I suspect is your problem too. You can do this, IF YOU WANT TO. Its up to you.

[hsrazorback1 2]

I have failed totally with my lab band which I got in April 2011. I know it's my fault because I still eat pizza and a small amount of sweets. But the diet is so restrictive, I couldn't stay on a diet to begin with, and that's why I got the band. I don't exercise because I feel so bad all the time. I just want to get home from work and sleep. I push so hard to keep going, but I don't know how long I can keep that up. Trying to eat the way they want is causing so much stress. I try every day, and every day I fail.

Carol,

Step 1 - Hang in there

Step 2 - stay as close to the plan as you can

Step 3 - keep hanging in there

The band *will* work. Prior to this past Monday (10/10) I was quite disgusted with this whole band thing. Just last week, I could eat what I wanted, when I wanted, then be hungry again in an hour. pizza, fried chicken, Pasta, BBQ, nothing phased me.

I had my 5th fill this past Monday, and I can tell this one is the "magic" fill. I am hitting the wall after about a cup of Cream of chicken Soup. I've never experienced this full feeling so quickly.

It's taken me 5 1/2 months to get to the 'green zone'. Please, please, hang in there.

[Carol-TX 3]

I never expected anyone to notice my post. WOW!! You guys are amazing. I really appreciate those comments. I needed to hear those words of encouragement from people who have gone through this. I had not thought of myself as "not willing" to do the work. I thought "I can't". Hum. Sabotage. Hum. I will give up the bread and sweets somehow. I will hold on to the statement that the craving will go away in a couple of weeks. I just have to make it that far. I have been paying for a membership at Gold's Gym for two months, so I will try to get in the habit of going. I took your advice and talked to my primary care doc, and he put me on an antidepressent. I'm going to make an appt. with the psychologist associated with my weight loss clinic. I guess I haven't reached the "sweet spot" yet even though I have had 4 fillings, because the doc said that I had so much "in-grown" fat around my organs that he had to put the band around fat and stomach. I think it just doesn't squeeze my stomach enough yet, as I can eat a regular hamburger or 6" sub easily. Thanks again. I WILL keep trying to put "a band around my head" now.

[Cindy C 150]

Carol, I've been where you are. I would come home from work and go to bed. On my days off I might not even get up...except to eat and go back to bed. I was fat, I was lazy and I was useless! It's very hard to get up the ambition to go to the gym but once you do and start going regularly you'll feel so much better and have so much more energy. If you are prone to go home from work and not do anything, then go to the gym on you way home...or go before work. When I worked afternoons, I forced myself to go at 9am...When I worked days, I went at 3pm when I got off. The more you go the better you feel and the more weight you see come off which makes you want to go even more. For a while I was going 5-6 days a week. I never felt better in my life! You're paying for the membership. Use it! Force yourself to go every day for a week, even if you only work out for 20-30 minutes. By the beginning of the next week you'll be looking forward to it!

[bromo 17]

Carol, I am glad you posted to update us and that you saw your doctor. Many people have true chronic depression, me being one, and I really need the antidepressants to have a "normal" life. Hope that this helps you to get there as well. Just keep trying and trying and eventually this will work. If you fall off the wagon, pick yourself up and get back on and don't give into failure. You can and will succeed, I just know it.

[123crod 170]

I think if you give your new meds time to start working. You will feel a lot a better about 4 - 6 weeks. Does not mean you have to take them forever but right now from what you said I do think you have some depression. It is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you are so depressed, much less worry about food, calories, Water, working out and not eat something that might get suck. But do keep or start working out more it will helps with your depression. Always willing to talk. I think if you went to see Dr to get med you have already made a big step in the right direction. Like someone posted above baby steps.

Cheri

[Carol-TX 3]

Well, it's been a while, but with all of your suggestions and encouragement, I've finally begun to loose as you can see from my ticker. In December 2011 I finally talked my bariatric surgeon to give me another x-ray to see if my band had slipped. It had not. The nurse practioner would not give me any more fillings. She said that I was at 7 cc and I could have no more even though I had a large band. She said that I wasn't doing my part. I just felt that there was more to the story. The band should be helping me, but I could not even tell I had a band. After getting nowhere with my bariatric center, I went back to my primary care physician and asked for a consultation/second opinion from another bariatric surgeon. My appointment was January 5th. The difference in their attitude was huge. They drew out my filling and found that I actually only had 6 cc, so they gave me another one. The difference was amazing! I could feel the band. Wow! I didn't know that's how it would feel. I had lost my 1st 8 pounds from the Friday before Christmas until I went to the new doctor's office, and that was a huge struggle. Since that day, I've lost 4 more pounds and it is so much easier. Granted I am taking the antidepressent, but I can tell the band is working now. When I eat meat 1st, I can't eat very much. I've been off of sweets since then, and it has been easy because I'm not hungry all the time. I have had no problem saying "No" to sweets - even donuts!! What a relief, not to be craving sweets all the time. The new doctor said that I still have some wiggle room with my band. I'm so glad he took me as his patient. Thank you all for your help.

[YngGram 73]

Oh Girl, WHOOT WHOOT!!!! I know it can be hard sometimes, but it is so worth it. The band is great, but it is different for everyone. Mine tends to change with the weather, many here said it wasn't possible. Finally today at least two others said they have the same issue. Many find themselves starving in the the beginning, hunger has not been a problem for me. I am the oppisite; I don't get hungry. So I don't eat enough to lose, on Fri. I had some wonton bites and about 6 french fries (at 7 pm), and 3 cups of coffee. When I started this I worked hard to give up sweet tea and eat smaller portions, before the surgery. I was able to lose 9lbs from Nov to Mar. Then I stopped following my own rules. I am getting the wrong stuff in liquid form (coffee) really it's the dang Creamers that I love. Size 12 is great, but a 10 is so much better. I am so glad that you made someone listen to you, you know you so go with what works for you. Don't give up the fight, when you drop that first size it all comes together in your head.

[Humming Bird 275]

I'm so glad you are getting things worked out. Now you can start using the band the way it is intended! A big part of it is your fill level and I'm glad you switched to someone that would give you a fill so you can at least know the band is there and helping you. You are on your way now!

[MCCLB 16]

Carol,

I'm so glad to read your post! I just recently posted something very similar, see: "Fell of the Bandwagon, Scared to see Surgeon" thread. I'm so glad for you that things are on the up and up. I know personally depression is something that is very hard to go through. I have been clinically depressed for at least a year and I didn't have my first therapy appointment until November. It really does help. Like you, I didn't want to get out of bed, I didn't want to go out and exercise or eat right because I just didn't care anymore. I couldn't find the motivation. I started anti-depressants too and I think they're starting to help. For about a week a half I've been sticking to a low-carb diet and losing weight. I've started exercising again: even yesterday I went for 2 walks with my dog for a total of 6.5 miles. I know I need some fills and have an appt with my surgeon on Wednesday, so I'm really hoping it helps.

I'm glad you found the courage to get a second opinion. I've read on here that the amount of fill people have in their bands varies for everyone, so your NP should not have said that you weren't doing your part, even when you couldn't even feel as though you had a band. That's why we got the band in the first place-- to give us restriction in the amount of food we can eat! I've only had 1 cc in my band because I was too embarrassed to go back to the doc because I hadn't been doing my part. I wish I had gone back sooner because I would probably be a lot further along in my journey than I am now. But one important thing that I'm trying to learn is that: you cannot change the past! No more woulda' shoulda' coulda's. If we keep dwelling on what could have been, then we can't move forward.

Anyway, Sorry to ramble on, I'm just glad to know that someone going through the same thing as me is doing so well and is on the right path to success! I really wish you luck in your journey!

[highland 168]

I am so happy for you Carol and THRILLED you found a new dr! It's amazing to me that these drs want to blame the patient instead of seeimg what THEY need to do to help you. That's their JOB!! My dr tells me it's his job to keep me losing! I love to go to my monthly appointments because his team is sooooo encouraging! That's hoe you should feel too! Congratulations for bring ON the bandwagon finally!!! You will do great!

[sandybraman 18]

Carol, you might try Weight Watchers - just don't tell them you've been banded. Its a healthy way to eat because you can eat almost anything - in moderation. Plus, you'll get support at the meetings and maybe find some people to start walking with. YOU CAN DO THIS! You got the band because you wanted to change - now its up to you to use it as the tool it is. And see your doctor - maybe you need a fill and some help from the nutritionist.

Most of all, remember that you can get lots of support and encouragement here because each and every one of us has or is struggling just like you are.

[changemynametoskinny 5]

A trick I use to make myself go to the gym is telling myself that I'll just go walk on the treadmill. I've learned that getting myself to the gym and in the door is 90% of the battle! Once I'm there I do lots more!

[1shauna1 129]

My clinic said that nothing should be off limits, just smaller amounts. Of course there are a few things I just can't eat (bean sprouts, heavy breads), but yes, I can eat pizza too. But you need to start following your bandster rules (as mentioned, Protein, veg). it does take some work to make the band work. Unfortunately it isn't a magic tool. You need to do the work too. And you can!