Gaining weight LAP Band, 4 years out! HELP!

[jennani 0]

Long story short I had surgery in 2005 and was very successful for the first 2 years losing approx 85 lbs. About 3 years out my port was leaking slowly and fills were not working as well, some weight gain with that. I had surgery to change the port I thought this would solve the problem. It did not I have been getting fills every month and gaining approx 3-5 lbs a month. I am now 35lbs or so from my pre surgery weight and the rate I'm going I will be there again in a few months.

I am an xray tech and brought in a film of me drinking barium and my doctor said I was too tight and took some out, why then am I gaining weight I asked? I went this last week and the PA refused to fill me prob because I stated I had a hard time with eggs that morning, although I ate a full turkey dinner on Thanksgiving leading me to believe, not tight enough, spontanious tightening I think.

The PA then said "WOW I have never seen anyone gain like this, maybe you need to see a pyschologist, HEE HEE! Don't we all. Being totally honest I do not eat perfectly, by my count I am averaging 1000 cal a day, and not as much protien as I should get because it's harder to get down. I would have rather spent the 6 grand on credit card bills. I guess it's back to diet pills, trainers and weight watchers and another billion bucks!!

Signed

SUPER DISCOURAGED!!! :thumbup:

[happy2lose 0]

I just got a great pep talk (much needed) from my friend who owns the Curves I work out at. She had GP many years ago and understands my battle of the bulge as well as the obstacles we let interfere with our well being.

She said I needed to find the determination that I misplaced last week. I need to just get back on track. She is right and this is what you need to do also.

I recommend you start keeping a food journal to track your intake and calories. You may be doing some mindless eating that you need to cut out and this will make you aware of it. If it goes in your mouth it needs to go in the journal.

If you believe you need a fill then fight for it! It sounds like you do and you should not take NO for an answer. You are the veteran bandster so don't let your doctor or his staff treat you like some newbie. Some people, like myself, like our bands tight. As long as you aren't vomiting too much then it shouldn't matter to your doctor.

If you think weight watchers will help you then do it! My cousin swears by WW and she has recently lost a lot of weight this way. Besides, it's really not that expensive and may help you get back on track.

Are you exercising??? You know that exercise is vital to maintaining your weight loss. Step it up a bit. I am going to start working out 3 more times per week which will put me at 7 days/week but it is necessary to keep my focus.

Find a way to control your head hunger. If you feel it coming on take a brisk walk so you stop thinking about food.

Please, don't think I am being preachy. Not my intention at all. I just want to help you.

Donna

[ElfiePoo 109]

Weight is all about calories in and calories out. Perhaps you're eating more than you really think you are? I'd start journaling every bite you put in your mouth even if it's a stick of gum or a mint.

My guess is that when you had difficulty with the eggs it was because you took too big of a bite and/or didn't chew enough since you obviously had no problems with your Thanksgiving meal. I'd go back to the doc and talk to them. Explain you are not too tight. You are still able to eat in excess.

I lost 70 lbs without exercise and I've kept it off without exercise so I'm the voice of dissent on 'needing' to exercise to keep your weight off...assuming you aren't eating more calories than you're expending during the day.

Want to eat 3000 calories per day? You'll probably have to exercise unless you have a very physical job or lifestyle. It is possible to eat 2000-2200 calories per day (recommended as the daily intake for adult women by some nutritionists) and expend that amount of calories without exercising...assuming you don't sit behind a desk for 8 hours and then go home and watch tv for the next 5 hours.

Hang in there. Go talk to your doctor. If they're dictating to you and not listening/working with you, find another place to do your fills where they will listen/work with you.

You didn't spend all this money and go through all of this just to give up because you're not getting the support you need and/or not taking advantage of the band.

Good luck. :thumbup:

.

[happy2lose 0]

I just wanted to add that I too have trouble eating eggs and have since day one. Something about the texture gives me trouble. Rarely, I can eat an fried egg over medium but scrambled eggs, no way!

I totally disagree with not needing to exercise to lose weight. This is suppose to be a lifestyle change and those who think they will make it to goal without exercising are lying to themselves. I will not debate this issue any further because it is a waste of time to try to convince somebody who thinks they know it all.

Best of luck to you,

Donna

[ElfiePoo 109]

I will not debate this issue any further because it is a waste of time to try to convince somebody who thinks they know it all.

ROFL. Thank you for the laugh. Those who believe exercise is not necessary are 'know it alls'...and those who believe exercise is necessary are exempted from this know it all status how?

Basic math, Happy. Calories in/calories out. If you eat more than you expend, you gain. If you eat less than you expend, then you lose.

It takes approx. 2157 calories to maintain 140 pounds on a 5'7", 25 year old woman of moderate activity. This may vary depending on muscle mass and a few other factors, but I'm trying to keep it simple.

To lose one pound per week, that woman would have to decrease her calories by 500 calories daily. Now, she could choose to decrease her calories by only 300 and increase her energy expended by 200 calories, but she could do it simply by decreasing her calories by 500 calories daily.

To put it another way...to maintain my original 260 lbs, I need to eat approx. 2718 calories per day. So if my 260 lb body needs 2718 calories just to maintain that weight, common sense says that if I decrease my calories to 1200 calories per day...without changing my activity level...I will lose weight.

Simple math.

.

[ThinknHealthy 0]

Elfiepoo. You are right about the simple math concept. In theory, it is completely correct. However, it is not really as simple as that. Exercise provides more benefit than merely "calories out." The act of exercise increases a person's motivation and general sense of positiveness. Those indorphens (sp?) really do exist. When I add exercise to my weekly routine, it makes a huge difference in how I feel about myself, even if the scales don't move.

For those who are relatively new at being banded, I would encourage you to add exercise to your routine when you reach that point when you are on a plateau (you will have some of those). Simply taking a walk every day can make a difference.

[ElfiePoo 109]

Exercise provides more benefit than merely "calories out."

I agree. Exercise...whether you get it through your daily activities or 'exercising for the sake of exercising' (aka going to the gym) does have benefits. No doubt. My only point was that you can lose weight and maintain that weight loss by reducing calories without exercising as long as your activity level remains constant.

Personally, my work and personal life are already too busy and active to spend time in a gym, but I certainly understand why those who have desk jobs or more sedentary lifestyles choose a more formalized type of exercising. I'll even accept that some do it because they actually enjoy it.

I make it a point to have a good attitude in whatever I pursue, but I'll tell you...no amount of good attitude or length of involvement has ever made me feel good about or because of exercising. I find it extremely boring and it does nothing but tire me out and make me grumpy and very very hungry.

[happy2lose 0]

ROFL. Thank you for the laugh. Those who believe exercise is not necessary are 'know it alls'...and those who believe exercise is necessary are exempted from this know it all status how? :scared2:

Basic math, Happy. Calories in/calories out. If you eat more than you expend, you gain. If you eat less than you expend, then you lose.

It takes approx. 2157 calories to maintain 140 pounds on a 5'7", 25 year old woman of moderate activity. This may vary depending on muscle mass and a few other factors, but I'm trying to keep it simple.

To lose one pound per week, that woman would have to decrease her calories by 500 calories daily. Now, she could choose to decrease her calories by only 300 and increase her energy expended by 200 calories, but she could do it simply by decreasing her calories by 500 calories daily.

To put it another way...to maintain my original 260 lbs, I need to eat approx. 2718 calories per day. So if my 260 lb body needs 2718 calories just to maintain that weight, common sense says that if I decrease my calories to 1200 calories per day...without changing my activity level...I will lose weight.

Simple math.

.

You are entitled to YOUR OPINION elfie and I sincerely hope you do well with your weight loss but, time will tell! Time and the scale do not lie.

I know how hard it has been to lose the 82 pounds I've lost and I KNOW, without exercise it wouldn't have happened. Some people have slower metabolism and this must be taken into account. It is NOT simple math.

[ElfiePoo 109]

You are entitled to YOUR OPINION elfie and I sincerely hope you do well with your weight loss but, time will tell! Time and the scale do not lie.

I know how hard it has been to lose the 82 pounds I've lost and I KNOW, without exercise it wouldn't have happened. Some people have slower metabolism and this must be taken into account. It is NOT simple math.

Happy,

I agree. Time and scale do not lie. I took off 70 lbs 6 years ago without exercise...and I have maintained that loss without exercise.

I think I did say in my previous post that "This may vary depending on muscle mass and a few other factors, but I'm trying to keep it simple" but even with a slow metabolism, if you reduce your calories without changing your activity level, you'll still lose.

For example a 25 year old woman that is 5'7" and weighs 150 and is sedentary needs only about 1800 calories to maintain that weight. Eat more and she'll gain. Drop her calories by 500 cal a day and she'll lose a pound a week.

Take another 25 year old woman who is 5'7" and weighs 150 but whose activity level is moderate and she'll need 2200 calories. If her activity level was high, she'd need about 2500.

In all of those cases, drop the calories by 500 per day and in a week that amounts to a loss of 1 lb...without exercising. In fact, the person with the higher activity level will most likely have greater muscles mass which means she may lose even more than 1 lb per week.

Again, there will be some variation on the data depending on things like muscle mass because someone with more muscle will burn more calories even at resting.

Exercise may look like a much better option than cutting calories to people with little muscle mass and a sedentary lifestyle to start with...but that wasn't the point I was trying to make. :scared2:

If someone chooses to exercise and can make it a lifelong commitment, then more power to them...but to tell people they'll be always be fat and never lose the weight if they don't exercise...not exactly accurate. Worse, for people who detest exercising, it takes all hope away from them that they can be a normal weight without hitting the gym 5-6 days a week. They can be...if they control their eating.

Anyway, that was my last word on the matter in this thread. The information is there, do with it what you will. :thumbup:

.

[happy2lose 0]

Elfie,

we are just going to have to agree to disagree on this issue because it is not simple math! If it were, there wouldn't be so many people wanting or needing WLS.

[sallyjean 0]

Happy2lose-

Why do you have a 4cc band ? Most people have a 10 cc band.

[happy2lose 0]

Happy2lose-

Why do you have a 4cc band ? Most people have a 10 cc band.

I asked my surgeon this very question. He said the size of the band placed depends upon the sized and shape of the stomach. I had little fat around my stomach therefore he chose the Allergen 10cc band (holds 4cc fill).

I believe there is a little more to this though. Because I was self pay, I chose a fantastic, highly regarded surgeon in Mexico because I couldn't afford it any other way. It is my theory that he was using up old band stock. My band is the older generation lapband. I was concerned about this at first but I now realize that because of the band I have (smaller), with my first fill I already had great restriction and began to lose steadily from day one. I have returned to Mexico for all of my fills which are done under Fluoroscopy and have had no complications thus far.

I hope this has answered your question Sally. (oops! Sorry)

[michelle33 0]

wow that is said i hope things gets better

[IndioGirl55 32]

I agree. Exercise...whether you get it through your daily activities or 'exercising for the sake of exercising' (aka going to the gym) does have benefits. No doubt. My only point was that you can lose weight and maintain that weight loss by reducing calories without exercising as long as your activity level remains constant.

Personally, my work and personal life are already too busy and active to spend time in a gym, but I certainly understand why those who have desk jobs or more sedentary lifestyles choose a more formalized type of exercising. I'll even accept that some do it because they actually enjoy it. :eek:

I make it a point to have a good attitude in whatever I pursue, but I'll tell you...no amount of good attitude or length of involvement has ever made me feel good about or because of exercising. I find it extremely boring and it does nothing but tire me out and make me grumpy and very very hungry.

I wish I was lucky as you - but alas I'm not - I have to exercise - plus muscle burns more calories and it's good for our bones too and our balance - Can't say I love it but don't hate it like I use to cuz now I can do it.. Plus even with my band I like to eat :0) that has never left - so if I want some extra treats (especially this time of yr) I have to hit the gym more often :0)

Jenna - Go back to the basic like you did when you 1st got banded - low fat - sf - Protein 1st - limit carbs & exercise

If you have a hard time eating hard Protein - I would say you have restriction and my be eating too many sliders - are you guestimating your calories or actually logging them..

Did your turkey day meal consist of sliders - mashed potatoes gravy - stuffing w/gravy - pumpkin pie.. How much turkey did you eat and did it have gravy?

I suggest actually logging your calories for a week and how much you are able to eat per meal - then take this log to your doc.

Restriction is key - but truly our food choices are what is the main factor in losing weight

I'm another firm beleiver that you need sometime of physical activity in your life -

Just like taking the word Diet out of our vocabulary and replacing it with healthy eating - we should do the same with Exercise and replace it with physical activity - Those words (diet & exercise) really seem to turn pple off and cause ton's of arguments.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet

Some pple have better metabolizes than others - some pple are happy eating 1/4 cup of food per meal - we all are diff

Also - I found that during my weight lost phase that as long as I varied my calories 800-1200 it kept the scales moving..

You just need to get your motivation back - you need to understand that you can never go back to eating your old normal - cuz that's what got us all fat in the 1st place.

This is really about a total lifetime lifestyle change...