5 and 1/2 years out and gaining weight. Want to get satiety again.

Hi everyone!! I am 5 and 1/2 years out now. Over the past few years I started allowing more and more food types and at first in moderation but over time Ive been overdoing it. The band always helped me put on the breaks though and it was ok for a while. Over the past year though I have actually put on 15-20 pounds and now I want to get it off. The band though doesnt give restriction like it used to so it is going to be tougher. I am going to go back to the lower carb lap band way of eating but I want to get the quick satiety that I used to get and that was what made the band a tool that really helped me. The last 3 fills I got over the past few years resulted in being too tight (caused reflux while I was sleeping etc) and so they would take out what they put in, so I don't think a fill will help. I did some research and read that relaxing the pouch for a while can help me get my tool functioning again so that I have the help I need to get the weight off. Has anyone had any success with the 5 day pouch test? I just started today and I really am hoping it will work. I know that  I have to eat right to lose the weight. I am just wondering if anyone has regained the satiety by doing giving their tummy a rest with a few days of doing liquids. Its been a few years since I have been on this site, but this site was a huge part of my decision to get the band in the first place and really helped me with my weight loss. Thank you all for your help.  Have a great day!!!

Well the 5 day test was designed for RNYers to see if they had stretched their pouch and we don't have a pouch we have a fully functioning stomach with a full capacity stomach. They don't have the extra functioning stomach below like we do so it really isn't going to do much except maybe tell if you have stretched your upper stomach. All you can really do is get back to band basics and continue that type of eating for life or maybe add some exercise.

Thank you. I think I have stretched my upper stomach and this is the reason I can eat so much more. I guess that is what I am trying to do and hopefully get it 'working' like it did before.  At the very least I guess that it will be a 5 day pre-cursor to getting back into the swing of a low carb way of eating. Have a great day and thanks so much for responding :)

It would be more likely that you dilated your esophagus vs. stretching your pouch.  Have you had an upper GI lately?

The pouch test diet is very similar to the Plateau Buster diet, basically a very low carb/high protein diet to help get you off carbs.  I have done it in the past and it will help you lose weight if you can stick to it.  If you can do the full 10 days it will help wean you off carbs and therefore lessen the cravings. 

Best of luck.  Getting back to basics is the best idea!

Lisa O.

Thank you Lisa!!

Looks like you are about to get a revision, best of luck to you. Way to stay diligent in maintaining your goals. I agree. Low carb high protein is the best long term solution. It is helping so far and I am so thankful.

I have done that and gone back to just liquids for two weeks just to kind of "shrinking" down my stomach, it might be all in my head but my thoughts are that our stomachs are muscles and like any other muscles they can get tight.

So I find (whether it just gets me back to the right state of mind or if it really works) that I can eat less after I do one of those crash diet things. But I also flow it up with tracking on my phone, measuring and weighing for a month. I suffer from portion distortion where slowly but surely my portions creep up and once I do this method I tend to get back into shape.

Good luck! I am Oh wait! 6 years out yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I completely forgot!!! And with ups and downs like everyone I have kept off the 100lbs I am trying to get back off the extra 15/20 but we will see. 

Good luck!

Congrats Mel!!!

Hi!~~  WOW! We started out at the same way and we both lost about the same amount of weight and are currently in the same boat. Congrats on 6 years!!! I'm the same way with portion distortion. I did so good for 2 years with the low carb band style method of eating to make the most of the band... but little by little bit by bit all of that went out the window and the old habits snuck back in while I was preoccupied with 'life'. I had so much focus on it when it was the biggest goal I had going but now that my clothes are too tight and some don't fit... well I'm grateful that finally it hit me and I realized it before it all came back. So as HARD as it is, I am doing it. This 'plan' is helping the mental side for me. It's like a reenactment of post op and allowing me to go back to the original mindset that helped me successfully lose weight the first time. Also returning to this site after 3 years is helping by reconnecting with people who understand Lap Band and being able to read items I posted back then when I had the 'fire' burning inside me to make it to my goals.

I know that I personally stretched out my esophagus... made it into a bonus stomach.   So when I went on a break for a week or so it really helped with getting things back on track.  I'm one week without my band but my head still thinks like a bandster. Guess that's what almost 6 years of having one will do!

Best of luck!!!

It's great the the band lifestyle has become a natural part of your life!! I think mine did that too... but last time I had a flouro (over a year ago) they said all looked fine. I think its a combo of that and I stopped eating the dryer protein things and learned the items that would go thru fast and comfortably over time and started allowing myself to indulge in things that didnt sit in my pouch which allowed my portions to get bigger and choices to become worse. When I started gaining a couple of years ago I basically got on Phentermine and starved myself during the day eating a pouch of tuna for lunch and nothing else, then going home and cooking and eating elaborate delicious dinners. I enjoy cooking and it was like a hobby. I got way of track but maintained my weight. After the breakup... I started eating like that a lot more and stopped dieting during the day... and here I am up 15-20 pounds. Getting back on track now and it is working!! :)