I just feel like crying

[cmr 0]

I'm glad you posted this thread and greatfull to all of you who have replied. I needed to hear all of this all over again:)

[Marimaru 7]

Everyone has given you good advice, but the other side of the coin is that 40 lbs since August is a really good loss. The 'average' loss is 1 to 2 lbs per week, or 50 to 100 lbs per year, and it looks like you are well on your way to being in that average.

I was one that got banded and decided I didn't want to diet anymore. It's not working out so well for me, but I just can't seem to get into the dieting mindframe. But I'm sure once I get there, I'll start droppin' lbs again...

[DonnaMarie 0]

My psychologist pretty much summed it up.. "They are fixing the stomach but NOT fixing the mind".. even though you are banded, you still cannot eat the same kinds of food you used to. My pre surgery classes are drilling into our head the "dumping syndrome".. you really cant have sugar, ice cream, Cookies, cakes, chips, etc etc etc.. it will make the difference between seeing a loss and not. Now, I am not an expert since I am not even banded but this is what they are drilling into our heads early. If you don't eat right with the band, and pick and pick junk food, you are not going to see the results...that is just what I learned..

Donna :0)

[fun4matt 0]

DIet diet diet, that is it. for the rest of life. Exercise, Exercise. if I dont exercise i dont have to change a thing and maintain weight. I exercise 4 or 5 times a week; I loose weight. Run if your body will allow, walk, if you can't run. if you are in a wheel chair 24hr fitness has arm peddels like a bike but you use your arms that will help also.

Here is reality. I cant stop eating, I love food, I love sweets. I dont have the self control to not eat sweets. The band helps me eat less. but, Cookies, cakes, ect go down soooo easy. Chx, tuna, gets stuck. sooo, If you eat the stuff that makes you feel full like chicken breast, fish etcc. you might find that you will eat much less of the sweets.

dont mind me i have a band and still need to choose what I eat. Not watch what i eat.

matt

[Desi80 1]

I was banded in August too and i've lost 50lbs, so really your doing good, it doesn't seem like it but your still in the 1-2lbs a week average. Just be patient, slow and steady wins the race.

[pattywacker58 0]

Whoya,

Hi my name is Patty.I wish you were here because you sound just like me to a tee.I had my band in June 2005 and I have lost 40lbs.I ahve had 2 fills and feel like i could eat a horse so believe me you are not alone.It would really be nice to have a friend close by to talk with an dspend time with that was going through the same thing you are.I go in for my 3rd fill on April 1st.I find myself eating alot of junk because I know it won't get stuck.And I feelhungry all the time but I really think alot of it is depression and not feeeling good about yourself anyway I feel that way.So please don't feel alone because your not alone.I think I'm going to see if the Dr. can get me on appetite depressants and antidepressants as so as I can get the money.So anyway if you feel like talking let me know I'm here.

[OlyHarleygirl 0]

This is all sounding so familar. I have been banded since January 12, 2006 and have lost 35 pounds. I have managed to do this because I set my mind to it and knew the band wasn't going to be much help until I'd had my first (or maybe even more than one) fill. So, I was very strict with myself and 'white knuckled' through it believing that as soon as I had restriction everything would magically fall into place. I had my first fill on Friday. What a disappointment. I expected the band to keep me from being hungry and to prevent me from being able to overeat. It's not. BUT I do feel full more quickly. My problem is that I keep eating after my stomach says it's full. I haven't experienced pb'ing but sometimes wish I would. It's a whole new learning curve and I'm not a quick study but I'll get there. Just seeing all the success stories on this site keeps me motivated to keep trying!

[S@ssen@ch 745]

40lbs since August is great. It's actually well within what is considered normal weight loss. Don't discount it. I know you were hoping for more, but you ARE losing. That's the goal, to lose and not gain......Right?

Second, are you following all the band rules? Not drinking while eating? Stopping when you feel full. Eating only quality foods?

None of us are perfect 100% of the time. We all make choices we regret, but you still need to make an effort to try to make better and more healthy choices. Cookies seem to be my demon as well. I do my best to either cut them out all together or extremely limit them.

Good Luck,

[journey 0]

Hello all,

I will not be banded for a little over a week.

First question about eating, seems everyone is on a different pre op diet?... What is the proper diet, my Doctor was a little vague. Mostly Clear liquids, still wants me to have 60 grms Protein, so I can add sugarless Protein shakes, nonfat sugar free yogurt, nonfat cottage cheese, and egg beaters. I understand that not eating sugar will make my liver smaller, and I have decided to try to keep my calories under 1000 per day, (I read that on someone's post) but I am not sure if I am doing this right.

any suggestions,

also

how do I get one of those cute little meters? love those

J

265/?/136

36 years

four kids

one spouse

two dogs

and a cat

[ReneBean 3]

Low Carb really does work. For me it's the difference between losing weight and not losing.

Also, Water is huge. You can't drink too much - except while you are eating!

I Just got my first fill and I am finally starting to see some results - but before the fill, the only days I lost weight were the low carb ones.

*Matt - my stick blender came with a chopper cup attachment. I blend my tuna instead of mixing with a fork. Voila! No PB's. I also add some cruncy fried onions before blending. Fresh onion would work too - but cruncy adds some texture. It's really quite good and the Protein content is excellent. Lite mayo is a plus, too.

[Teresita 0]

*When you get a fill, does your doctor pull out the saline solution to see how much is already in there before giving you a new fill. I understand that the doctor can miss the port.

*Exercise

*Counting Calories

*Protein drinks and bars

*Low Carb, High Protein

B: shake

L: Big beautiful green salad/chicken or tuna or turkey

D: Green veggie and meat/seafood

S: SF popsicles, sf fudgesicles, Jello, Protein Bar, cheese sticks w/ham

Drinks: sf anything, Water, Water, water, crystal light, power ade, etc

Good Luck "We Love You":welldoneclap:

[fun4matt 0]

thanks rene I love tuna and will try that.

[bandmemaybe 0]

Don't know if you are still around -but I'm also struggling with a lack of restricted FEELING-while having plenty of saline (4.25 cc in the smaller band) Did you ever get any answers? Some of the people who replied to your thread seemed to miss the amount of fill you have and the quanity you can eat....it isn't right-although I can't find out why it happens-I told my doc I could (and have) eaten 2 double cheesebugers-of course we all agree thats a poor choice but WHY can I eat that-overfilled with saline_ and some can eat 2 bites with just a little saline??

[Whoyah 0]

Sorry I have been absent for so long but I am about to graduate (with my BA) in May and all my professors want a piece of me before they let me go. I wish I could include typing papers as a form of exercise (grin). I want to thank you all for all your great input and understanding. Sometimes I wonder "why me" and then I see all of your great responses and know I'm not alone in this and that I just need to keep plugging through.

I have to say this because it is just nagging at me -- Didn't we have to go through a screening process before surgery with one of the qualifications being that we had tried numerous diets and were not successful? Well, dang it all with this band. I want to be so sick when I eat too much or the wrong foods that I eat the bare minimum.

I do not drink while eating and do not eat breads of any kind. I listen to the Dr. about Protein first and I eat it (granted it may be the fried chicken strips before the salad at Chick-fil-a -- I just do not like the grilled chicken, NO! I am sick of the grilled chicken. I eat the Protein Bars for Breakfast and two hours later I wonder where the full feeling from the Protein is. Okay, I admit I like a cookie or ice-cream, or a milkshake SOMETIMES -- Not daily, but a few times a month. I am a failure at dieting! This is why I went for the surgery and correct me if I am wrong, but I think we all had the same reasons.

Now, if you all sense a grain of sarcasm or anger in this post it's because for the first time I have gained 5 pounds within 2 months (I attribute this to the cheese and wine tasting's I have been to -- my god I gotta live but where was the band?). So, there it is out in the open -- And what did the Dr. do for me you may ask...he gave me one-quarter fill in my 10cc band which brings up the fill count to 9 1/4cc and I DO NOT FEEL ANYTHING DIFFERENT!

It's SO depressing when I hear others say that they just can't hardly eat Soup -- ARGH!! What I wouldn't give to be like that. That was my expectation from the band. I wanted to be so nauseous that I didn't want to eat -- isn't that how thin people feel? They don't 'feel like eating'?

Again, I want to thank you all for your support in this struggle to lose weight. Also, I will be more visible after May (with sore fingertips).

[DiDi 0]

Glad I found this thread. I just realized I do feel "something" after eating about a cup of food. No, it's not what I would call full but I'm going to try to stop & wait & see if I am still hungry. I never thought of it quite this way. I have just been eating more & more till I get my old full feeling & even though I'm losing, I'm sure I'm eating way too much. Good advice, thanks.