I will fail!

[Bandit]

That is what I keep telling myself today, and I hate it. I had my surgery on 9/9, I am 2 months post op today. My scale at home is WAY off from my doctors, so I do not trust it, but according to it I've lost 12lbs. I think I've lost closer to 10. SO, I feel like a big fat failure today. I keep thinking...you know, if I only chose bypass surgery, I'de be down 30lbs..... Maybe, just maybe I need that malabsorbtion. Then I wonder why they don't come out with a new surgery. I'm constantly hearing about bypass patients who end up getting the band over their pouch to tighten it up. So I think to myself, why don't they just put in the band in the first place, and then just bypass some intestines???? Wouldn't that be safer anyway than cutting up the stomach? If this was available, I probably would of gone with it! 'cuz scaredy me is afraid of the bypass. UGH, has anyone else lost this SLOW??? I really need some reasurrance that I made the right decision

~Bandit~

9/9/04

[Shell]

Bandit..

Im sorry to hear your frustration. let me ask you a few questions OK

1. Have you had a fill yet?

2. Do you follow the rules? Like eating protein first, not drinking during or an hour after a meal?

3. Do you drink atleast 64oz of water a day?

4. Do you exercise?

5. Do you make healthy food choices vs the same foods pre band but smaller portions?

6. Are you eating your 60 grams of protein a day? 25 grams of fiber a day?

7. Are you avoiding all liquid calories?

8. Are you avoiding soft foods that go through the band quickly only to make you hungrier faster?

9. Do you track your food intake on www.fitday.com> If not maybe try it, it does help to see where the problem lies.

If you can answer Yes honestly to all of these questions, then maybe it is time for a fill. If you answer No to any of these questions then maybe you need to adjust your head..instead of getting an adjustment to your band. For me I just made an attitude adjustment this week and am back om track now. I saw what I was doing wrong and made the changes neccessary. I was going to get another fill next week, but I have changed my mind. I can do this and so can you!

Check out this site..it will help you. You got to remember that the band is JUST A TOOL to help us with this battle of weight loss, it is not a magic wand. We still have to do alot of the work. I look at it this way..you are 10 lbs lighter then you would of been had you not gotten the band right? So you are not a failure. You made the right decision.. here is another site to check out, one that will make you greatful you chose the band over the bypass,

http://lapbandtransformation.com/Adjustments.htm

http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/wlsmemorial.phtml

Best of Luck to you..Don't give up! If you need a little moral support, feel free to email me or PM me anytime. I'd be more then happy to give you all of the moral support you need..another great support site for the lapband is www.lapbandtalk.com

..it is a very active online support group that Iam also a member of. The members there are so awesome, so supportive, so loving & kind and very helpful, it is like one big family over there...Support is also a key to success I believe!

[Bandit]

1. Have you had a fill yet?

a: Yes, I've had 2 fills. I'm up to 3.2cc's.

2. Do you follow the rules? Like eating protein first, not drinking during or an hour after a meal?

a: Yes.

3. Do you drink atleast 64oz of water a day?

a: Not Sure.

4. Do you exercise?

a: No.

5. Do you make healthy food choices vs the same foods pre band but smaller portions?

a: I'm trying, but it's difficult.

6. Are you eating your 60 grams of protein a day? 25 grams of fiber a day?

a: Not sure; I just go a container of Unjury and am about to try it....

7. Are you avoiding all liquid calories?

a: Yes, I only drink Water, Crystal Light, and sometimes Diet Snapple.

8. Are you avoiding soft foods that go through the band quickly only to make you hungrier faster?

a: Yes, I only eat solids.

9. Do you track your food intake on www.fitday.com> If not maybe try it, it does help to see where the problem lies.

a: I just started today

[Shell]

Bandit..who did your surgery? Did Dr. Ortiz?

[Bandit]

no

[Rinaleh]

It helps to think long-term. The goal is 1-2 pounds a week. That means 52-104 pounds over the course of one year. My understanding is that the average weight loss at the one year banding anniversary is 66 pounds. My husband and I got banded by Dr. Ortiz at the same time, but he lost weight faster than I did. I weighed more than he did at the beginning and women's bodies tend to hold on to the fat more. However, at two-plus years post-banding I was not only losing weight more consistently than he was, I weigh less than he does. Note: much of the change has to do with adopting a regular exercise program. Although it took me a year to get started exercising, it has really become an important part of my routine, and not just for weight-loss. It is a also great stress reducer.

P.S. I highly recommend Curves

[Heysuz]

Hi there,

I don't post (or read) the forums as often as I should, but I recently recommitted to my weight loss program and intend to post more faithfully as part of my support.

So many people share your frustration. Truly. It will work. But it's not a 'miracle' cure for our weight loss. It's a tool (Dang I still hate hearing that, even from myself). My band has brought to light the many many issues I have with food.

If you feel restriction with your fills, you need to take a good hard look at what you are doing. If you do not feel adequate restriction, you may need more fill.

I could convince myself, justify, and rationalize eating almost anything. Even with my band. I was on a 5 month plateau and could not figure out why. Even when I used Fitday.com I was still at a loss as to why I wasn't losing. Of course I was totally lying to myself about what I was eating... not recording it, or only weighing when I knew I was having a 'good' day.

After 5 months I went to my fill doc - who is different than my surgeon - and pleaded for help. Brutal, honest help. He was wonderful and we went over everything I ate on a regular basis. He asked me to promise to make some simple changes for 6 weeks. SIX WEEKS. Then come back and see him again. I'm now on week 2 and happy to say I'm off the plateau and I've lost 3 more pounds finally. Basically I am totally off ANY liquid calories. I was having a coffee drink here and there, cream in my coffee, etc (I rationalized that it was THAT many calories). Protein and veggies, and NO in between meal snacks. (that was tough)

Anyway, what I'm saying with all this rambling, is that perhaps you are not being totally honest with yourself. I don't mean that in a mean way at all. Please don't take it that way. This has not been an easy journey for me and I'm struggling every step of the way. I know how you feel. I'm a year out now, and I'm down around 60 lbs and very happy with that. I have another 40 to go.

Be honest with yourself, get a fill if you need it and feel free to scream and yell whenever you want!

Hugs,

Suzy