I need help

[ktbberger 0]

It's been one year and 8 months since my lap band surgery and I've had one heck of a time. I am wondering if others out there feel the same way I do...I made this decision to take control of my life and my eating and I struggle with it more now than ever before. It's like all I did was accentuate my problems...does anyone else feel this way? I have had so many issues with the band...too loose, so tight that I can't eat or drink anything, too tight and I immediately throw everything up, loosened to let my stomach heal and then abandoned by my doctors (or so it felt...). I had lost about 23 pounds and felt amazing, but I couldn't keep anything down anymore, so I went in and they x rayed me and literally everything I swallowed immediately came back up. I had stopped losing weight because I wasn't digesting much at all. So they loosened it all the way and asked me to come back two weeks later....they cancelled my appointments for a variety of reasons for 3 months, and I gained everything back plus 5 pounds...I was devestated. And it's so hard to explain to non lap band people...my friends seemed almost happy when the band was completely loose because I could eat again...almost as if my small and slow eating made them uncomfortable (has anyone else ever felt this way?) and I could eat ANYTHING for three months, and I did. I've never been so mad at myself or a situation in my life...so what did I do? After they tightened the band again I taught myself how to eat VEEEERRRRY slowly, and I gained even more weight. Add to that an unexplained illness that knocked me on my butt for about 6 weeks and I'm officially heavier than I've ever been. I'm going in this Thursday for another tightening, and to tell you the truth, I'm scared. I'm at 1.5 cc right now, and 2 cc was where I got so sick and they had to loosen it. I am so afraid that I wil have it tightened and the same thing will happen all over again...but at the same time I know I need it tightened. I've finally gotten my working out back on track and I feel great from that, and I think I just need a shake up as far as the band is concerned...does that make sense? Anway, I'm rambling because its late at night and I can't sleep for the worry, and I found this site. Does anyone have any advice or had an experience at all like this? I would appreciate any feedback...thanks for reading...

[stevegoad 32]

Well, my first question is why did you let this go on 20 months?

The band is "unnatural. No doubt, all of us if it works right, have to change our habits. But I am getting the feeling that something else is going on.

You say that, when you had it at 2 CC's you could not eat or drink anything, and yet at 1.5 CC's there is no restriction?

Please know that I don't want to sound to insensitive, but on Thursday, you need to check ask them in no uncertain terms what is going on. Get the X-rays, the swollow test, etc.

But you also need to be checking what you are doing. You admitted when you can eat everything, you do. That is common, but wrong. THe band, even when it is working correctly, will not do it for you. You have to make the right choices to make it work. If you don't, and I have to assume you haven't been, then it won't work.

So find out what they have been doing, and what you have been doing, and go from there.

Remember, the fight is not over until you say it is.

[ktbberger 0]

Hi Steve, At 1.5 cc I definitely have restriction and I feel like I'm eating well, making smart choices, etc...it just seems like since I put the weight back on it's stuck to me like glue. I've been working out daily since October and have seen a change in most of my body...everywhere except for my stomach, and I'm hoping that at my appt tomorrow I'll be able to get an adjustment and maybe shake things up a little bit, if that makes sense. I have been writing down what I eat since Oct, which really helps, but I still just feel hopeless sometimes, like I've only accentuated my problems with food. At the same time I know I would have put on a significantly larger amount of weight had I not had this done...and I see results like yours and it recharges me a little bit. I just found this forum yesterday and am really excited about it, and appreciate your input. I plan on being very honest with my doctors and hope they will be honest with me as well tomorrow...after reading through a bunch of posts last night I've compiled a pretty good list of questions for them, so I hope it'll be more informative than in the past...thanks again for replying...

[IndioGirl55 32]

Hi Steve, At 1.5 cc I definitely have restriction and I feel like I'm eating well, making smart choices, etc...it just seems like since I put the weight back on it's stuck to me like glue. I've been working out daily since October and have seen a change in most of my body...everywhere except for my stomach, and I'm hoping that at my appt tomorrow I'll be able to get an adjustment and maybe shake things up a little bit, if that makes sense. I have been writing down what I eat since Oct, which really helps, but I still just feel hopeless sometimes, like I've only accentuated my problems with food. At the same time I know I would have put on a significantly larger amount of weight had I not had this done...and I see results like yours and it recharges me a little bit. I just found this forum yesterday and am really excited about it, and appreciate your input. I plan on being very honest with my doctors and hope they will be honest with me as well tomorrow...after reading through a bunch of posts last night I've compiled a pretty good list of questions for them, so I hope it'll be more informative than in the past...thanks again for replying...

tbberger - Sorry for your struggles but I have a question for you - if you have restriction why would you be going in for another fill.

Our bands are only tools - they don't make our food choices nor exercise for us - they only restrict the amount of hard Protein food we eat per meal - it doesn't restrict any slider foods - ice cream candy chips etc..

You say you are writing down what you eat - which I beleive is a great tool and it is specifically proven that pple who keep food diaries do better in their weight loss - another question - how many calories are you eating a day.

During my weight loss phase I ate between 800 -1200 a day and varied them - along with going to the gym 4 times a week - for me this kept me burning calories and never hit a plateau...

I have never looked at my band as a diet - I have looked at this journey as a total lifetime livestyle change in my eating and exercise habits - I am not dieting - I am eating healthy period end of story.

The band is a great tool that makes the hard job of losing weight easier - but it's still work - mostly mental on changing the way you look at food and deal with it..

Good luck at your doctors appointment ...