Help/ Advice

Hello,

So to make a long story short.....I was banded in Dec 2009 and am currently the same weight I was when I had the surgery.  I really do not like the band.  II do not want any more surgery.  Initially it worked well for me but I fell off the wagon.   I lost 50.  Gained it back. Lost 25 on medifast.  Gained it back....vicious circle.  I am thinking giving the band one more try.  Do you think it's worth a shot?

Might as well keep trying if you're not having complications since most insurance companies won't pay for band removal without evidence of adverse issues.

What do you think your biggest issue is? Why is it not working for you? How do you define, "Falling off the wagon?" Are you simply eating too much or not eating the right things? If it's too much, you might want the band filled a bit. Have you incorporated exercise into your routine? That might help, as well.

The only time I was able to successfully lose weight was when I wrote down everything I consumed and cut out white flour, rice, sugar, and burned more calories than I took in. 

Good luck to you. I hope you can make it work.

I agree, may as well try to make it work again, you may want to consider some counseling to see why you "fell off the wagon". Eating issues are often connected to emotional issues, something that needs professional help in dealing with. If that is not possible try keeping a journal with not just what and how much you eat but with how you are feeling when you eat, angry, bored, sad. Lots of people have trouble losing when they are too tight because they end up eating easy to go down foods.

If the band is well adjusted then you pretty much have to just do your best to "work it". Use a small plate (like a saucer) for eating and take tiny pencil eraser sized bites to slow you down. Remember protein first, veggies next and then finally (if at all) healthy carbs. Cut out or way back on white carbs like rice, pasta and breads.

I have been empty for over 2 years and am still slowly losing and I can't exercise at all because of a lung disease. So you may not lose a lot but if you can even keep from gaining it may help to do the above things. Good luck to you!

As the others say! If the band is there, isn't causing problems, then there is no reason not try again.  

Do you have any feeling of restriction? If not, could you get a fill? 

is medifast a liquid diet? If so, it may not be the best way to go, the band has no effect on liquids. You lost weight that way but it might be easier to try again but with solid foods. Apologies if it is not a liquid diet! We have different brands here. 

Plan your eating, make healthy choices. Work out quantities in whichever way works for you - measured portions, counting calories.  If you snack, count it in your daily total.

Start with dense protein, then crunchy veggies, minimise carbs. Avoid liquid calories. 

The band only gives you an edge! It is not designed to stop you eating, just help you eat less. I know it isn't easy, I am currently fighting a regain and it is HARD. 

Well, what actually happened was i lost 50 lbs and 50 to go when i got pregnant.  I was working out A LOT.  Towards the end of my pregnancy I had the ban loosened. When the baby was about 6 months old i tried getting it filled again.  I could just not get it right.  Too tight and everything got stuck.  Too loose and any/ everything can go down.  I definitely struggle with emotional eating.  Also with eating on the go, full time job 3 kids ages 2.5-8.  Medifast isn't only liquifd.It's 5 small prepacled meals and a lean meat.  Expensive.  But I did loose 50 lbs on that too and gained it back.  As for exercise, i am currently working out quite a bit.  And in training for a half marathon next month.  I just looked at my ticker.  I think I am actually about 20 lbs from my starting weight- but still- I need to do someting.  It would be a lot easier to run a half marathon at 130 than 230.

Part of my problem is I don't like my Dr.  He is abrupt and always seems annoyed and in a hurry and makes me feel like a failure.

Quite a few people find they move between too loose and too tight. And for some reason, I have read of quite a lot of people finding it hard to get back to a good level after pregnancy ( congratulations, by the way!). And the medifast thing sounds good but I am sure the cost would, as you say,  be high. 

I nay be telling you something you know here, sorry if I am, but but are you aware of the changed understanding of how the band works? It used to be taught that we ate a small amount and then needed to retain that food above the band long enough for the brain to believe we were full. Basically, the band stopped us eating. Research has shown that what should happen is that well-chewed food does not and should not stay above the band. In fact, it should have passed through in under a minute. This new understanding means that in the past,many bands were kept too tight. 

What should happen is that because of the narrowing, the oesophageal walls need to make more movements to help gravity push food down. The brain is aware of the number of movements and so thinks we have eaten more than we have.

The idea that we need to be tight enough to feel full therefore relied on a tighter band than is sensible. We need to exercise will power to walk away from food when we have had a sufficiency and we should feel less hunger. 

What this basically  means is that losing weight with the band is hard! It is enough for some, it has been enough ( with blips!) for me. But getting back on track is going to need real determination and commitment from you. 

Can you change doctors? You need support to get back on track. . 

Get a new Dr. if he isn't going to HELP you NOW then stop to think about how much less of a help he will be When you start to have band complications and need it removed. He will probably just BLAME you for the complications as so many often do . If you need help with a new Surgeon I might be able to help, let me know where your located.

Many have posted after pregnancy the same story.  So a pregnancy search on the forum.  You may want to check out the failed band group also.  Giving it another try if it is there and not causing issues.  Just be aware of the issues and stay on top of them.

Insurance denied my revision, so I am giving my band another try...with a different doctor. It's there, so we might as well try to make use of it!