I want to give up

[BTTRFLI1432 0]

HI ALL.... I WAS BANDED APRIL 30 2008. I STARTED OFF AT 256 AND BY BAND DATE I WAS DOWN TO 241. WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS I WAS DOWN TO 230. I GOT DOWN TO 217 THE FIRST WEEK IN JULY AND HAVEN'T REALLY LOST A THING SINCE. I HAVE BOUNCED BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN 213 AND 220 FOR ALMOST 5MONTHS NOW. I JUST WANT TO GIVE UP. I HAVE A 14 CC BAND...I HAVE 7.25 IN THE BAND NOW THE FIRST BEING 4CC...THEN 1CC... 1CC.... 0.75CC AND 0.50 CC SO 5 FILLS ALL TOGETHER I HAVE BEEN SO DISQUESTED I DIDN'T EVEN GO TO MY JAN 09 DOCTORS APPOINTMENT. I HAVE WEIGHED THE SAME FOR ALMOST 3 MONTHS. ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE POINT. YOU KNOW WE ARE ALL TOLD NO SUGAR...NO BREAD...EXERCISE DAILY...ON AND ON....WE ALL KNOW THE BAND RULES. BUT YOU KNOW IF WE DONE THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE WE WOULD OF NEVER GOT BIG ENOUGH TO HAVE THE SURGERY. IN SAYING THAT I AM STILL GONNA EAT WHAT I WANT TO EAT JUST LESS OF IT OF COURSE. THAT WHAT THEY SAY.....EVERYONE CAN LOOSE WEIGHT AND LONG AS YOU EAT LESS AND EXERCISE...WELL THATS NOT TRUE. ON AVERAGE I EAT A BOWL OF oatmeal FOR Breakfast, A TURKEY SANDWICH FOR lunch, AND A SLICE OF pizza FOR SUPPER. NO THATS NOT ALL GOOD FOR ME BUT ITS BETTER THAN 2 eggs, BACON, GRITS AND TOAST FOR BREAKFAST, A DOUBLE CHEESBURGER, FRENCH FRIES AND A SWEET TEA FOR LUNCH AND 2 PORKCHOPS, MAC AND cheese AND CREAMPOTATOES FOR SUPPER. SO TELL ME WHAT I'M DOING WRONG. I JUST DON'T KNOW. IF I ATE AN APPLE FOR BREAKFAST A salad FOR LUNCH AND STEAMED VEGGIES AND A PEICE OF GRILLED chicken THEN I WOULD OF NEVER GOT FAT. I COULD GO ON AND ON....JUST SOMEONE PLEASE HELP CAUSE I GIVING UP AND I MEAN FAST:crying:

[BandDiva 0]

Gosh! That all sounds very discouraging!

Why not have more fills to further restrict intake? It takes 3500 calories to make a pound.

If you did nothing, you would probably burn 1600 calories per day.

So, the trick is to watch those calorie intake. Is your liquid calorie free? fruit juice can really pack on the calories.

This is like our last chance! Fill up and watch your caloric liquids!

You must give it a go again!

BandDiva!

[jms462001 9]

HI ALL.... I WAS BANDED APRIL 30 2008. I STARTED OFF AT 256 AND BY BAND DATE I WAS DOWN TO 241. WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS I WAS DOWN TO 230. I GOT DOWN TO 217 THE FIRST WEEK IN JULY AND HAVEN'T REALLY LOST A THING SINCE. I HAVE BOUNCED BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN 213 AND 220 FOR ALMOST 5MONTHS NOW. I JUST WANT TO GIVE UP. I HAVE A 14 CC BAND...I HAVE 7.25 IN THE BAND NOW THE FIRST BEING 4CC...THEN 1CC... 1CC.... 0.75CC AND 0.50 CC SO 5 FILLS ALL TOGETHER I HAVE BEEN SO DISQUESTED I DIDN'T EVEN GO TO MY JAN 09 DOCTORS APPOINTMENT. I HAVE WEIGHED THE SAME FOR ALMOST 3 MONTHS. ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE POINT. YOU KNOW WE ARE ALL TOLD NO SUGAR...NO BREAD...EXERCISE DAILY...ON AND ON....WE ALL KNOW THE BAND RULES. BUT YOU KNOW IF WE DONE THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE WE WOULD OF NEVER GOT BIG ENOUGH TO HAVE THE SURGERY. IN SAYING THAT I AM STILL GONNA EAT WHAT I WANT TO EAT JUST LESS OF IT OF COURSE. THAT WHAT THEY SAY.....EVERYONE CAN LOOSE WEIGHT AND LONG AS YOU EAT LESS AND EXERCISE...WELL THATS NOT TRUE. ON AVERAGE I EAT A BOWL OF oatmeal FOR Breakfast, A TURKEY SANDWICH FOR lunch, AND A SLICE OF pizza FOR SUPPER. NO THATS NOT ALL GOOD FOR ME BUT ITS BETTER THAN 2 eggs, BACON, GRITS AND TOAST FOR BREAKFAST, A DOUBLE CHEESBURGER, FRENCH FRIES AND A SWEET TEA FOR LUNCH AND 2 PORKCHOPS, MAC AND cheese AND CREAMPOTATOES FOR SUPPER. SO TELL ME WHAT I'M DOING WRONG. I JUST DON'T KNOW. IF I ATE AN APPLE FOR BREAKFAST A salad FOR LUNCH AND STEAMED VEGGIES AND A PEICE OF GRILLED chicken THEN I WOULD OF NEVER GOT FAT. I COULD GO ON AND ON....JUST SOMEONE PLEASE HELP CAUSE I GIVING UP AND I MEAN FAST:crying:

You may just need more fills even though you say you don't eat much. Also, I really think the high Protein, low carb way works best. Oatmeal is very healthy and I eat it sometimes, but eggs or eggbeaters in the morning work best for weight loss in us resistant people I have found. Or, if you don't like eggs, meat or some other protein for BK. If you must have pizza, try just eating the toppings. If you can actually eat regular crust pizza easily, I would say you probably really do need a fill. And, of course there is that evil word exercise that helps get past a long plateau if we step it up. Don't give up. You have lost over 40 pounds and maintained it. Without the band you surely would have gained it back and possibly more by now. And, that 40+ pounds has brought health rewards. Keep those Dr apps. You are not the first person he has seen without major success. He is there to help you!! Get another fill and you just might be surprised at how well you start losing again!! Good luck.

[jimmielou 0]

I'm so sorry you are having issues, but we have to remember that the band is a tool only. It is not going to take the weight off for us. If your not dropping lbs than maybe you need to change your game....Are you getting in the amount of Protein you are required? Maybe try staying away from the oatmeal because of the carbs. and is the oatmeal plain or with sugar....Write everything down that you are eating and you may be surprised of the carlorie intake everyday. Keep in mind we didn't get her over night and we are not going to loose it over night. It sounds to me that you really haven't changed your eating habits, just reduced them a bit. You should have a support system through your doctors office too. Don't give up call out for help contact your doctor. Look at what you have accomplished so far. Reflect back at how you were feeling at 256 lbs. vs. what you weigh now. I think you just need to take back charge of your food before it takes back charge of you. You can fight it or you would not have taken the steps to be banded origninally. Remember you have to take all these classes for a reason listen to what your doctor is telling you and good luck...Don't give up YOU CAN DO IT......committ to a different plan....

[gone 4 ever 6]

ON AVERAGE I EAT A BOWL OF OATMEAL FOR BREAKFAST, A TURKEY SANDWICH FOR lunch, AND A SLICE OF pizza FOR SUPPER.

You might need to up your calories for a day or two. I had the same problem about losing and gaining the same pounds. Some else who had been banded for close to a yr told me to change up my calorie intake. If you eat to few your body goes into what is called starvation mode. If you up your cal. intake 1 or 2 days a week your body doesn't store everything you eat. It will burn it up easier. Also if you do the same excersise all the time you need to change that up also. Try this. It should work for you. Oh yea also log all your cal. intake for 1 month to help you see what you are actually doing.

[tjb14 0]

One other thing you may try...go to your primary care dr. and get a blood test. It is possible your thyroid is off and this may be contributing to the lack of movement. Don't give up please.

[caramia71 1]

I was banded March 08 and I have lost less than you. It can be discouraging when you see some people losing 60-100 pounds in a year or less. When I did the math, I was losing almost a pound a week. That's not bad for someone who couldn't lose anything in a month. I know it's hard to stay motivated, but you have come this far and I know for me I never want to put those 35+ pounds back on. So it takes a little longer to lose weight, there are benefits to that too! I have been at the same weight for almost 2 months now and I just increased my exercise. I can see the difference in my body even though the scale hasn't moved. There is nothing wrong with being a slow loser at all. I definitely encourage you to speak with your doctor and get his thoughts. Mine encouraged me and made me feel better about the whole thing!! Best of luck to you!

[kymmie 0]

I also wanted to add that you are not alone. For 4 months I fluctuated between a 32-34 lb weight loss. I only started loosing again after my last fill.

Hang in there, you can do this.

[MADE IT 2 MY GOAL..OH YEAH 0]

Whatever you do, please don't give up. This is coming from someone who has thought several times over about giving up and having the band removed. Weight loss is really slow for me and I can go a week or so without losing anything. I look at it this way though, while I am not losing the weight, it is just giving my body and skin time to catch up with the weight I have lost.

I have tried the up your cal intake thing also and it does work. Talk to your surgeon and let him/her know how you are feeling. You never know, he/she may be able to do something to help you out. JUST DON'T GIVE UP!!!

[Cleo's Mom 257]

You have lost almost 40 pounds. For every 10 pounds we lose, we need 150 fewer calories to maintain that weight. Yes, it's like getting punished for losing weight!! But that being said, you need 600 fewer calories now to maintain your current weight than you did at your highest weight. So to lose weight you need 600 fewer calories than before minus another 500 to lose a pound a week. That's 1100 fewer calories than you were eating at you top weight. Do some calorie calculations about what you used to eat and then do the math. Also, there are some very good internet resources that will calculate your current weight, etc..and give you your resting metabolic calories burned and how much you need to lose what you want. Try Web MD. But there are others. Good luck.

[SCTexasGirl 0]

Well I have to say that I too have been in this situation. I don't think that you need to put yourself on a diet though. If you eat something that you think "you're not supposed to eat" you will set yourself up for failure. I talk to my dietition all of the time and she says not to "diet" just keep your cal at 1200 per day. I have been keeping up with my cals since the 7th of Jan. You can go back and see how much you ate and find out where you need to cut back. This is a diet change but if you would just limit your intake of your favorite foods you will do just as well. Also like everyone else said, it is time for a fill. You may not get to your sweet spot until your 3rd of 4th fill. Call your Dr and get another appt. Good luck to you!

[luluc 6]

SO 5 FILLS ALL TOGETHER I HAVE BEEN SO DISQUESTED I DIDN'T EVEN GO TO MY JAN 09 DOCTORS APPOINTMENT. I HAVE WEIGHED THE SAME FOR ALMOST 3 MONTHS.

you should have gone to your appt, you likely did need a fill. my surgeon told me at my 1 month post op appointment that the patients who he saw on a regular basis were likely to be more successful than those who thought they can do it on their own, or were too embarrassed by the slow weight loss.

he/she are there to help you be successful, if we could have done it on our own - we might not have needed banding in the first place. use your dr to your advantage. tell him/her your frustrations / difficulties. diet / exercise are important - but seeing your doc on a regular basis is just as.

call & make an appt is my suggestion.

good luck!

[twiggysmiff 0]

I'm so sorry that you are feeling this way. I am brand new to this process, so I don't yet have much to offer in the way of advice. All I can say is to talk to your doctor, maybe get a fill and listen to the more seasoned posters on this board. I think you knew what they were going to say before they said it, so I really think you don't want to give up. You just wanted some cheerleading. Well, rah rah rah!!! Keep it up and I wish you the best of luck!!!

[chicamam1 1]

Boy i know sometimes this journey can be so frustrating! and there have been times, the breaking down crying thinking is this all i will lose? Even fast losers go through all that! I would also be very frustrated in your shoes too but here is the bottom line. U need to call and make an appt. u need a fill and that might help jumpstart your weightloss again. that is how the band is designed. How much can u eat at one sitting? u mentioned what u eat but not really how many oz or cups that equates to. a bowl of oatmeal can be subject to opinion. IMO if your eating more than a cup u probably need a fill. The upping the calorie thing really does work. Ive done it and it didnt even affect my weight loss then when i went back, it did show some movement on the scale. Also, constant exercise. I have found the less I have to lose, I have to exercise everday or the scale wont move period. I wish u the best of luck. please dont give up. U got this band for a reason and like someone else said there are health rewards with that 40 pounds gone, and also your doctor is there to support u. hang in there and call ur doc. trust me, the stop wont be forever, as long as u stay motivated, u will get to goal u can do this!!!

[BethFromVA 5]

SO TELL ME WHAT I'M DOING WRONG. I JUST DON'T KNOW.

Unfortunately I think you listed what you're doing wrong. I would modify what you eat OR increase exercise OR both.