Help banded 1/08 and still only 10# down!

[jmonash 0]

SOMEONE PLEASE HELP! I was banded in MX 1/8/08. I am only down 10# I am sooo disappointed. I have has 3-4 fills. I am very sensitive to fills and have even had to be unfilled once because it was too much! I do not have a dr. here in IN where I live per say. There is only one dr. in my area that will do fills in pts. that were banded in MX so I have few choices. I was a surrogate just to get the money to pay for this surgery. I pay cash for all my fills, they are $300 a pop! I do not have it like that. I am a single mom, full time nursing student. The only insurance I have is Medicaid. There is no reason I should not be losing weight. I eat so much less than I used to. I have exercised, not exercised still no budge. I do not know what to do. At this point I want it taken out. The dr. in MX is not much help, nor is the one here. If I am going to be fat at least I should be able to eat the Big Macs and stuff at least then I'd know why I was still fat! My band is 10cc and I think I have 4-5cc in it. That doesn't sound like much but as I said I am very sensitve to fills. I throw up at least every other day if not everyday because food gets stuck. And I have had this fill for at least a month or more. What should I do? Any professionals that could help? I am so frustrated and disgusted with myself. My friend was banded there a few mos. before me and have never had a fill and lost 40+. I am so embarrassed to even tell people I had it because I have not lost. My boyfriend who sees what I eat wonders why I cannot lose as well. I am crying as I write and do not care who knows at this point! :sad::frown::lol::confused:

Edited October 10, 2008 by jmonash

[losingjusme 12]

hi, sorry you are having a difficult time... maybe give us an idea of WHAT and how much you are eating and we can help trouble shoot for you.

also, are you exercising? that really helped me.

good luck!

[plain 12]

SOMEONE PLEASE HELP! I was banded in MX 1/8/08. I am only down 10# I am sooo disappointed. I have has 3-4 fills. I am very sensitive to fills and have even had to be unfilled once because it was too much! I do not have a dr. here in IN where I live per say. There is only one dr. in my area that will do fills in pts. that were banded in MX so I have few choices. I was a surrogate just to get the money to pay for this surgery. I pay cash for all my fills, they are $300 a pop! I do not have it like that. I am a single mom, full time nursing student. The only insurance I have is Medicaid. There is no reason I should not be losing weight. I eat so much less than I used to. I have exercised, not exercised still no budge. I do not know what to do. At this point I want it taken out. The dr. in MX is not much help, nor is the one here. If I am going to be fat at least I should be able to eat the Big Macs and stuff at least then I'd know why I was still fat! My band is 10cc and I think I have 4-5cc in it. That doesn't sound like much but as I said I am very sensitve to fills. I throw up at least every other day if not everyday because food gets stuck. And I have had this fill for at least a month or more. What should I do? Any professionals that could help? I am so frustrated and disgusted with myself. My friend was banded there a few mos. before me and have never had a fill and lost 40+. I am so embarrassed to even tell people I had it because I have not lost. My boyfriend who sees what I eat wonders why I cannot lose as well. I am crying as I write and do not care who knows at this point!:sad::frown::lol::confused:

Maybe you are overfilled? You should not be throwing up that often, if you are eating the right type and amounts of food. This sounds like a problem that only you and a doc are going to be able to fix.

[jmonash 0]

I will give you an idea of what I ate yesterday. I ate 1 crab cake at 12 noon. That was my first meal. I had a snack at 5:30p of cheeze it crackers. At 8:30 pm when I got home from school. I tried to eat a bowl of pot roast w/ carrots, pots, onions. I got about 1/2 the bowl down and threw it all up. I then fixed Soup to help calm evrything back down. The soup was hot and sour soup I made at home w/ an egg in it. That is a normal day.

[Renob 1]

Seems to me you are not eating enough! You need to contact a nutritionist or research yourself what and how much you should be eating at this time.

Not trying to pass any blame here but the band is only a tool, yes its a very big tool but it has to be used in the right way and you do not seem to be using it right. Im sure when you get your diet a worked out you will start loosing weight. I sure wish you lots of luck

[thatDEgirl 1]

One effective tip is to eat something for Breakfast. Skipping Breakfast automatically throws our metabolism out of whack which is no good to losing weight.

I too though would tend to think you are overfilled if you are throwing up that often. Being over filled usually leads us to eat slider foods (crackers, chips, Soups, ice cream, chocolate, etc) which are typically higher in fat/calories.

I wish you the best of luck.

[ckelly37 1]

There are so many fill centers around the U.S. try to look up one where u are!! Im sorry u are having a bad experience but u have to think positive!! Try bumpin up ur exercise...a typical day for me is Breakfast- string cheese or yogurt

Snack-sf pudding or Jello sometimes some chex mix

Lunch- tuna, chicken or meat with either some salad or organic pita chips

Snack- sf pudding, sf Jello, chex mix or sf ice cream

Dinner- something Protein with some veggies and a tiny amount of carbs

I dont eat more than a 1/2 cup to 1 cup of food per sitting I workout everyday for 30 -35 minutes.

Maybe u need more calories to help ur metabolism..how many calories do u eat??

What do u eat throughout the day?? Please keep us posted

Also try joinin Weight Watchers it might help more with the band

Good luck

[skhopp 0]

You are not alone! I have been banded for 1 1/2 years and have lost about 12 pounds total - including what I lost during the preop liquid phase. I, too, am SOOOOO disappointed and embarrassed and feel like such a failure. I don't know what to do about it either - just wanted you to know you are not alone. Let's keep in touch and see if we can help each other out! I wish you luck!

[jetsy62 0]

Having researched this for about two years before actually making up my mind to have the band, I think you need to get your eating on a schedule. Sounds to me like you might have a metabolic problem. If it were me, I would try about 1/4 cup of food 5 to 6 times a day. That would mean starting with eating breakfast to kick things in. Everyone is different but you have to start with what the nutritionist calls "the basic plan" and go from there. And get the Protein in. A good cheap source of protein is Carnation lowaft powdered milk. You can sprinkle it on sf pudding, yogurt, cottage cheese. I got mine at Walmart. And get your Water in also. I am no expert by far, I am just passing along information that I have read or have been told by the nutritionist that works with the surgeon that did my surgery. Good luck. And please try to follow this plan, especially eating breakfast like others have advised, for two solid weeks and see what happens. I sure hope it helps. God bless.

[bandfun4me 0]

A big issue I had after my first couple of fills was actually LEARNING how to eat. Cut all your food into quarters, imagine your thumbnail to the piece of meat/protein, cut into quarters. this should be the size of all meat/protein that goes into your mouth. Then you must chew, chew and chew some more until this is almost a liquid , then you swallow. put that fork (seafood or miniture fork) down in between bites as well. Don't use bowls to eat out of, use a bread and butter plate or either a small breakfast plate or even a saucer plate. meat Protein first, then veggie, no white bread, once you can get bread to go down must be wheat. We have to get away from those things that got us here to begin with. We have to learn to make good food choices. Vegies or even Beans, Dried are best, they carry 8-10 g protein for cup. Remember to time your self whenyou eat. no more than 30 minutes. If you are hungry from the tummy or from "mind hunger" we have to sort this out. This band stuff is hard work, you will have to work and use that tool. I was banded in Jan 08, just had my 6 fill, now total of 6.5 c in 10 cc band, Down 61 lbs. I exercise 30 min morning, noon and 1.5 hoursin the evening 4x's week. I knoew that the only way that fat was going to go away was for me to move my body, no tv in the evenings. Don't let other people discourage you, ask for their support, some friend may unknowingly sabatoge your plan, ask them to exercise with you. Keep a chart, a daily food journal and don't skip any meals, and lots of exercise. The band is not an easy ride, but it will work for you, make it work for you. I have had a some bad meals as well. One time it took me 3 hours to recover from a tiny piece of meat I did not chew up very well. Grilled salmon and Bojangle chix cause me grief every time unless I cut and chew plenty. Hang in there. make yourself accountable for every thing your do and act. It will make a difference. Make that menu out for a few days and follow it.

Good luck.

[HeatherO 7]

Everyone has had great suggestions to start.

I would also suggest going to fitday.com, thedailyplate, etc and posting everything (even a bite here or there) to be sure you understand how many calories you are taking in daily, how much Protein you are getting in, etc.

I have always found that when I track what I am eating, I am actually ingesting more calories than previously thought. If you can do this for two weeks, you can then analyze what is being eaten and what changes may need to be made to put you back on track.

Exercise, exercise, exercise . . . this is always an important part of the equation. Some people are lucky in that they can forgo this and still lose weight, but most of us are not that lucky. Even if it is just walking around the block, you need to get your metabolism moving and this will help.

Last but not least, you need a good support system. I noticed that you have not made many posts on this website. If you were banded in Mexico, you probably do not have support meetings available to you. If you can join a local support group, that would be great. Otherwise, becoming an active, contributing member on any positive wls forum helps to provide support to you as well as others.

Please stay in touch . . . it really helps.

[Lavetta 0]

I too would recommend the daily plate site. You can track your food and exercise there. It helps me keep track and see what I'm really doing. Try it for a few weeks and see if you notice a difference.

I want to encourage you to keep trying. I know its not easy but I've seen from this site that it can work.

An area where I struggle is drinking enough Water. I've noticed that in weeks when I dont drink enough Water I lose less weight. Maybe that's just me though. :smile2: I've gotten into the habit of carring a glass around the house with me throughout the day so that helps. But I was thinking that since you've been vomiting so much you may be a bit dehydrated too.

Good Luck

[Mrs. Bubba 0]

All of the people before me have given you great advice. Hopefully you can get some good ideas from all of them.. However, one thing you have forgotten is that you have lost 10 pounds....... and you haven't gained any, right..... That says something.. You haven't failed ....... you are just having a bad stall!!!! Get re-motivated, go back to the basics and get going.. That is why this band is so great. It is a tool and waits for us to use it.... You'll do fine, just pick yourself up and get going again... Best of luck.. Julie:thumbup:

[girlie2shooz 0]

keep your chin up and start eating smaller meals more often. with all due respect, your eating habits as you have indicated, are poor at best. you can change things don't get discouraged and give up. if time is an issue make time on a weekend to prep for your meals. make sure the foods you are eating are good choices and always always eat yoru Protein first. if you want some help with planning your meals i would be happy to offer help. g2s

[jmonash 0]

Thanks for every body who has replied. It is very hard to "keep your chin up and get yourself going again" when you have never really started to loose. But I am taking in all that everyone has offered.

Edited October 11, 2008 by jmonash