struggling....

[xxFATExx 0]

hi all. i was banded 6 months ago - 2.14.08 - and have since only lost 15 pounds (10 of which i lost in the 3 days after my surgery). i have been stuck at my current weight for the past 3-4 months. i don't feel restricted at all - i can eat a whole turkey & cheese sandwich with no problems. i am making sure i get 50-60 grams of Protein daily, and go to the gym 3-4 times per week. i am getting pretty discouraged. :tongue: when i go in for my next fill i am going to ask about possibly having a stretched pouch, but i wanted to know if anyone else out there has gone through this or has any other advice.

[Charli0272 0]

My doc preaches Fat grams...I am allowed 20 fat grams a day and no more. I was banded Nov 19th,07 and I have lost 71 and I am at a stand still at the moment but I am not exercising like I should be. I can't even think about sandwiches...I would love a pb&j sandwich. Maybe try and watch your fat grams and see if that helps. How many restrictions have you had?

Charli

[Harvest 0]

HI..I was just wondering when you had your last fill...it sounds like it might be time for another...my doctor said to call for another fill if I find I can eat full meals or I'm getting between meals...You seem to be doing the right things otherwise...don't give up hope...it's great that you are exercising too!!!

[bandfriend 0]

hi all. i was banded 6 months ago - 2.14.08 - and have since only lost 15 pounds (10 of which i lost in the 3 days after my surgery). i have been stuck at my current weight for the past 3-4 months. i don't feel restricted at all - i can eat a whole turkey & cheese sandwich with no problems. i am making sure i get 50-60 grams of Protein daily, and go to the gym 3-4 times per week. i am getting pretty discouraged. :crying: when i go in for my next fill i am going to ask about possibly having a stretched pouch, but i wanted to know if anyone else out there has gone through this or has any other advice.

Hi xxFATExx,

Boy do I know where you are coming from. I was banded 8 months ago and have only lost 19 lbs. I have not lost anything in over 3 months now. I also don't feel restricted at all - and can eat most things. The only food I feel restriction with is bread. I am soooooo discouraged. :rolleyes2: and am so afraid I am going to be a failure at this, actually I already am. I also was thinking about talking to me MD about the possibly of having a stretched pouch. Can't really give any advise because I also am going through this.

[butterflybelle 0]

I had my realize band put in last August. I weighed 226 the day of surgery. over the next 4 1/2 months, i lost down to 195. january i maintained, then i started gaining and am back up to 220 and very discouraged. also during this spring,i had trouble with kidney stones and my gallbladder had to come out. I don't feel any restricions. I think I have 3.5cc.I have no restricion and am no losing weight. any feedback/advise would be great. Dr. prickett in Columbia did my surgery but i onl saw him for the first fill. someone else in his office did the other two. I am becoming discouraged. Any suggestions??

[EmmaWang 0]

I think you just need another fill. I had my surgery done in March this year and since then I've had 6 fills. I am up to 7.4 cc now, yet I don't have enough restriction. When we reach our sweet spot, we are only supposed to eat 4 oz of food each meal. I am still far from there yet. Everyone has a different sweet spot. Don't get discouraged. You just have to keep going in for fills until you reach the sweet spot. There were people who didn't reach their sweet spot until they are 8.5 cc in a 9cc band on the forum. However, once you reach the sweet spot, I heard that the weight will drop off quickly.

Edited June 30, 2009 by EmmaWang

[sallyjean 0]

I had my surgery on 4/03/09 and have lost 40. This is from the 3/19 to now. I have had 2 fills and I think I have 4cc in my band. I have really not lost any weight since June 09 my last fill. I can eat a sandwich with the bread and all the veggies. I called the docs office and they claim I shouldn't be able to eat a whole sandwich. That I need to keep my meals to a palm size. I was suppose to go in for a fill on July 21 and had to cancel because I'm having major female surgery on July 13 and I'm anemic so I have to get my Iron up and take care of myself. I can't have a fill until Aug 24 now. I'm alreaady discouraged because I'm gaining a few pounds back. Hopefully the surgery will make me lose my appetite. I just don't understand how we all can eat these things that the doctors claim that we can't. They always say I hope you haven't strectched your pouch, well how are we suppose to know if we have. Why are they so slow about the fills. I know if I ever got sick from eating something then I wouldn't overeat again but I really haven't been sick yet.

[bigpapa2 0]

I agree with what everyone else is saying but i would just like to ask, how long have you been working out doing the same routine? Your body will get used to what you are doing so you need to change it up some. So change what you are doing so you can confuse your body and cause it to start droping weight again. If you are lifting weight try lowering the weight and doing more reps. If you walk than try to swim or increase your distant you are walking. Dont let your body ajust to your workout keep it changing. Hope that helps.

[ThinknHealthy 0]

I think many people experience a plateau a few months after surgery. You need to be a little patient until you find that right fill level for you. Go to your surgeon and ask for another fill. I didn't get to that spot until more than 6 months after surgery. Since then, I've done pretty good, at least I'm meeting my goals.

[krtork 0]

I agree with what everyone else is saying but i would just like to ask, how long have you been working out doing the same routine? Your body will get used to what you are doing so you need to change it up some. So change what you are doing so you can confuse your body and cause it to start droping weight again. If you are lifting weight try lowering the weight and doing more reps. If you walk than try to swim or increase your distant you are walking. Dont let your body ajust to your workout keep it changing. Hope that helps.

This is a great suggestion. I lost a lot of weight right at the beginning and have found that I have been stuck the past four months. My exercise routine has been pretty much the same, so I have been trying to step it up and mix it up.

I have been sitting at 193 and cannot shake it! I have been tracking my food and have found that I am not getting in enough Protein and tend to snack on those days. So I have been working on eating better and more consistently and making sure I am not eating "slider" foods, but solid foods.

The honeymoon is over! Argh! My weight won't budge!

[bandfriend 0]

Hi butterflybelle

It sounds like several of us don't have any restricions and probably need to push doc for a fill. I know I am stuggling also and so discourged, but I have to say being on the site for these couple days is really helping me to want to stick with this and keep trying. I am going to contact my doc to see if I can get in for a fill instead of having to wait like 5 more weeks. Stay on here and get connected with others, that is what I am going to do and keep your chin up. We can all do this:)

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Just a point to ponder; the main purpose of the band is to form a small stoma creating an upper pouch separate from your lower stomach, causing you to feel full faster and, because of the delayed delivery of the food from the upper to the lower stomach, keeping you full longer.

Until you tighten the band and form that "restriction" the band is just pricey plastic sitting there.

Would you put on a belt and not buckle it up? and if you just had it on but not buckled, would you be shocked if it didn't hold your pants up? In a way the band is like that. Proper restriction is a big KEY factor. Once you get it, you'll know. Until you hit it, you may very well struggle. Its only part of the answer, good choices and exercise, not drinking while eating, are all part of the miracle that can happen, but without restriction the rest are just chores to practice.

So go get a fill (or two, or more) if you need them. Make the band work.

[bandfriend 0]

Thanks Restlessmonkey, This is the best advise I have probably had. I am going to call my doc tomorrow to get on the list of cancellations so I can get a fill asap instead of having to wait another month.

Thanks again.:thumbup:

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Good for you! I wouldn't think it would matter so much but it does, and as you get closer a little goes a long way. If this fill doesn't do it, keep at it. Proper restriction (the sweet spot or green zone as my doc calls it) is just almost a miracle. Keep us posted how it goes for you!

[DaChanginQueen 0]

RestlessMonkey,

Thee best explanation I've heard yet!