How many of you felt you might fail at first?

I feel like a failure and I guess I need to talk to people that know what this is like. I have spent 14,000 dollars on this surgery and I am failing. I lost 18 the first two weeks and in the14 weeks after that I have only lost an additional 18. I was at a 31 lb. weight loss but have gained 5 this last 2 weeks. I have diabetes and am still on insulin. I was trying to take less insulin this last 4 months and when I went to get my A!C it was a 9.2 which is awful. Now, I am trying to take more insulin to keep the glucose level down and I have gained 5 lbs. I have tried no carbs and have not been able to stick to it. I want to eat. I cannot fail. The more I think that the more I am scared I will. I woke up last night with very low blood sugar and had to eat to get it back up. I have had 3 fills and have never felt the full feeling after a small amount of food. In fact, I can eat 2 hotdogs with buns and chips.

I would first suggest maybe not doing NO carbs but just low carb. At least reduce your processed sugars and stay with natural ones like in fruit. Are you exercising at all? I've heard that at some point you plateau and you need to exercise to kick your metabolism into gear. Also as far as fills are concerned, some people don't feel restriction until after 4 or 5 fills or maybe more. Just keep going to get your fills. You will feel restriction eventually.

I know it is discouraging, but you will get there. We are behind you.

Well, guess I can't do simple math. I have only lost an additional 13 lbs. Now I really am discouraged.

Hang in there! I think it is very common for many of us to have slow ups, whether it's your body or your brain that is catching up. You HAVE lost some great weight! you are also adjusting to your insuolin levels and stuff like that. I know it's hard to be patient...it has been for me at times..like this past year, I was not doing that great and lost only about .25 lbs a week! but, I got my head around it and made some good changes. Also, you will probably need a few more fills to get some good restriction. YOU ARE NOT FAILING! You are adjusting and doing greeat! Take a deep breath, stick to your program, and get your next fill when you can! Good luck!

I haven't lost that much either. Not even 30 since surgery. I just got my 4th fill and am finally feeling some real restriction and just started low carb. Hang in there, you will get the right fill level and you will not need insulin one day!

Sue Sue, Dont be so hard on yourself if you average your weight loss , from what you said your 16 weeks out of surgery ? Is that correct ?
If that is the case your averaging almost 2 lbs a week ? THAT Is average. 1-2 pounds a week , your average weight loss is 1.9 lbs a week. Your not doing anything wrong , as far as the average weight loss goes.
It does sound like based on what you said you can eat you do not have much restriction and that will help you . Also if your "playing" with your insulin levels and going up and down with that , that will cause you to gain weight. So my advice with that , is stay consistent with that until your doc says to adjust that. going up and down w/ the insulin can do more harm than staying on a higher level .
Do you have a larger band ? From what i have seen and read it takes a little more fills to get restriction from the larger bands, so hang in there , it will come . Most of all take care of the diabetes and keep your levels constant !
I also agree with who ever said to try low carb instead of no carb.

HTH
Mindy

I was just banded on Jan 16, 2008. I'm trying to turn my whole unhealthy world around.

I'm more and more convinced that us diabetics (yes, I'm on insulin) are very carb-sensitive. I was just banded but I'm gonna try the combo of Lap Band and HEALTHY LowCarb.

1) no breads, no
2) no starchy vegetables - I have to trade in my potatoes for cauliflower.
3) fruits are berries and cantalope
4) not a lot of meat, maybe a stirfry portion once a day
5) very few processed foods, I'm doing a lot of cooking and taking a healthy lunch to work each day.

Also, with all the cooking, I put food in 1-cup containers. Therefore, it helps me with portion control. I'm following the recipes of George Stella and they are absolutely delicious. Heck, I'm even making my own ketchup and Thousand Island dressing. My husband who is also on a weight-loss journey is enjoying all this too, he's pretending he was lapbanded.

I'm absolutely determined to but the Diabetes in remission.

I still do wonder. But I am trying to take it slowly - my usual bull at a gate, lose by yesterday has never worked, so I am trying to take this "normal".

I doing:

Using Small plates/bowls
Eating regular food - we're vegetarian
Banning the baddies from the house : chocolate, chips, cookies, fatty foods, pre-packaged cakes etc
Slowing down
Chew, chew chewing - I still forget sometimes
Not drinking with meals

I think because I've been overweight since I was 11, that its not going to happen overnight, so if I take it gently and let the band help me, I'll make it this time.

SueSue:

Given I had personally failed with all previous 'diet' programs, I didn't have an opportunity to become flustered about whether the Band would result in another failure....I had no other option.

I had been injecting insulin BID for 15 years, and gaining weight IN SPITE of all mighty efforts I had been making. PreBand I was on 100 units TWICE a day PLUS max oral meds.

In fact, the first year I started insulin I gained 75 pounds....it is a growth hormone....

and it is difficult to gain control. My active visual concept include a long train of rail cars pulled by a steam locomotive.....as our fuels affect both the fire in the box as well as how fast the train moves through the countryside of our lives.

The most useful concept I developed was the 'slow fuel' vs 'fast fuel' in carbohydrate intake management. This was crucial both pre- and postBand.

Since you have reached nearly 50% of your goal, you are NOT in the 'failure' category....but the 'freaked out' category.

Reestablishing your A1c level IMHO is a primary goal. What has it been over the past few years, both average and lowest/highest?

You may need to find a nutritionist with special skills to help you develop your own program.

If you want/need more help PM me.

My insulin went down dramatically postOp and I haven't been on it for nearly 2 years now. HOORAY!!!

Read up on 'slow' carbs and low glycemic index foods. That helped my situation a lot.

COURAGE>>>>ACTION>>>>>NOW!!!!!

Jack , I like your statement " since you have reached half your goal you are not in the failure category your in the freak out category "
I Think that is where I am at now ! Thanks for that !

I needed to hear that myself !

Mindy

All I can say is a person that is an insulin dependent diabetic, should not be eating 2 hot dogs with buns and chips at one sitting.

So the bad carbs have to go, if not for weight loss, but just to get better control of your blood sugar levels.

The post op banding diet of protein first, veggie second and small amount of carbs last is the perfect diet for diabetics.

Definitely read up on the effects of different carbs and the gylcemic index values.

Three fills are obvioulsy not enough for you yet, when you get better restriction, I'm sure it will be easier.

I've had three fills so far as well and have yet reached good restriction. I don't know how often you are getting fills, but maybe you could talk to the DR about a different schedule for fills, if you feel they are spread too far apart.

Shortgal, I know what I should not be eating. I think that is the problem. I think that is also how I got overweight, eating things I shouldn't.

Jack, thanks for your response. I tried to PM you and it will not let me get the drop down menu when I click on your name or anyone elses. I will try again later. I really appreciate your response. I do not know why I have so much trouble with food and yes I would gladly appreciate any help you can give. Please PM me once you get this and maybe I can respond back. I have read the diabetes creates cravings as your blood glucose bounces around. I beleive that as my eating has been different the last few years. Before this surgery I had gained 10 lbs. from one doctor appt. to the next and they weren't that far apart. I too was taking 150 units of 70/30 at night, 60 short acting with each meal and 80 70/30 in the mornings. When I told my doctor how much I was taking she refused to write me a prescription for that amount. I left that day knowing I had to do something. Your thought of how I was almost half way there was englightening to me. Maybe that thought will help. I am very happy to hear you are off the insuling. Maybe that will help too. I have been a diabetic for 10 years. It gets harder to control each year. Once again, thanks and any help is greatly appreciated.

Sue Sue, Im not sure if you need any suggestions for new things to eat. But I just bought the biggest Loser cookbook , it has recipes that come from the show, they are REALLY good, and really simple ! Im not much of a cook but I really like this cook book.
Just thought i would mention it . Im not sure how diabetic friendly it is but it might be worth a look ?
Mindy

May I say one more thing. I have never been taught how to use insulin.