I don't get it

Maribelle · 10-01-2008, 11:26 PM

I was banded on Aug 26th and I am really struggling with the diet. I have had one fill a week ago and I have some restriction. I already had a little fluid in the band (dr. wasn't sure how much) and they put 2.5cc in my 10cc band. I eat too often and if I follow the diet exactly, I end up getting frustrated and hungry and bingeing on soft foods like chocolate and ice cream that won't stretch my pouch. I have lost 12 lbs. since surgery, but I have been at the same weight for a month. I see so many replies to this same question that say "You have to be committed to the plan" and "If you are following the plan properly, you will lose weight" but how do people go from being morbidly obese to excellent dieters who can follow a plan? I got so fat because I can't follow a plan. When I do and I don't feel satisfied, I end up going crazy after a few days. I never eat until I feel satisfied because I am afraid I will stretch the pouch, but I can eat almost 2 cups of food before I feel very slightly full (tried it once to see what's going on in there). I get another fill soon, but if I already have some restriction (sometimes chicken gets stuck if I don't chew well enough), then doesn't that mean I am probably never going to get much more help from the band? If that is true, I will have to do my weight loss mostly on willpower and be hungry a lot and that scares me. I don't have much faith in my own weight loss skills after so many years of failure. Can anyone help me? I'm feeling like a loser (and not the kind of loser I want to be...).

luvsmysgt · 10-01-2008, 11:35 PM

I have heard that if your are filled correctly you should not be feeling hungry after your four oz. of food. I have not been filled yet but I think that makes sense. My advice would be to call your doc and tell them that you are still extremly hungry after your fill and see what they say. My doc told me if I am feeling like I am eating too much and always hungry to call and they will up the fill. Try that and see how it works out for you. Let me know so I know what to look forward to.

Lshelley21 · 10-01-2008, 11:46 PM

why do you have chocolate and ice cream in your house? if you have to have it there for others, why don't you get flavors you don't like?

Maribelle · 10-01-2008, 11:56 PM

I don't have it in the house. When I am not satisfied, I start to crave bad things, and while I can resist the urge for 3-4 days, I eventually go out and get it. I never keep junk in my house, but the store is only a few minutes away. This is what I am wondering. Aren't almost all obese people like that? Am I weird to go out and get junk when my cravings get too much to handle? In the past, when I eat enough food to feel full, the cravings don't occur because my mind stops thinking about food, but when I feel like I am "dieting" it gets worse.

Lshelley21 · 10-02-2008, 12:00 AM

Then don't think of it as dieting...you arent..you have a life style change. Think that you could loose a lot more in a month if you don't go that route.... I do have cravings too...although if driving...i keep driving, i try to keep my mind and body separate...if i am dying for ice cream or chocolate...i will brush my teeth, go for a walk, or if absolute need to, take a tablespoon swish in mouth and spit out.
also..if you had the surgury isn't the point to loose weight? so why would you fall into those cravings?

**Jack** · 10-02-2008, 12:09 AM

Our entire existence as Morbidly Obese has NEVER succeeded in the 'plan' of 'eating until FULL'. That is OVEREATING.

We have to learn to train ourselves in the art of recognizing and respecting the sensation of "SATIETY"....the art of eating until we are NOT hungry and stopping at once.

I too was raised in the "full=not hungry" world. It was a lie, as I could rarely 'get full' and NEVER 'stay full' for very long. So I learned to overeat striving to become 'full'.

Try this: "satiety=not hungry". Then stop.

Normos eat when they are hungry; then stop.

Morbidly obese eat until they are full. Then they eat more. That was me preOp.

Seek SATIETY. Forget 'full', it is an illusion.

And 'ice cream' and 'chocolates' are NOT food. If you are going to eat, eat your hard protein. At 3 months postOp you should be able to recognize when you are NOT hungry. Take a few bites, chew well. Then stop for a while and see what happens.

luckyfive101 · 10-02-2008, 12:19 AM

I know your frustration! I have plateau'd after my first fill. I still have restriction but I have been guilty of "eating around" the band. I eat what I know will not get stuck and end up eating too many calories.. Finally started counting calories again, something I had hoped would not be necessary, but I did not come this far to fail now!

Nanook · 10-02-2008, 12:22 AM

Maribelle,

I wish I could say something to help inspire you but I've been there and have been told "it's only a tool". And I say why did I pay $30,000 for a tool that requires me to have the same amount of willpower "now" that I didn't have prior to getting the LAP-BAND^®.

So before I got the band I was under the impression that solids were solids and they'd fill me up in my new small pouch and I would only be able to eat a certain amount be it healthy or non-healthy foods. Wrong, the junk food that I crave, especially during TOM still goes through the band without a problem. To me that's not the right tool and not worth the $30,000 and whatever else I'm paying this Friday to have it removed, thank God to be "normal" again! Plus if you're only able to eat a bit of protein and you're still craving "food" you'll get it in. Maybe only a small amount of people behave that way once banded but they need to be aware it can be very difficult.

So maybe you'll be able to get the "secret" of how the band is supposed to work for everyone and you'll be able to start losing the weight and won't be in the same position I'm in a little over a year later getting it taken out. I do wish you luck and don't mean to scare you but I was in the same position back in March when I joined this site to find out why I wasn't losing and that was seven months after I was banded. So I feel people need to know that there are certain people that will always have issues with losing weight even if banded. If that weren't true then Obesity Help - Weight Loss Surgery, Obesity Support Groups, Obesity Forums, Surgical Procedures wouldn't have their own revision section and plenty of bandsters are there!

Good luck I wish you well and hope you find the answer you need, Nancy

katcruiser · 10-02-2008, 10:42 AM

You had the surgery just over 4 weeks ago on 8/26. You said you have lost 12 pounds since the surgery. That is 3 pounds per week- that is AWESOME!

You can do this- once you get enough fills then you will be satisfied with less food. Hang in there.

CLEO'S MOM · 10-02-2008, 06:40 PM

Maribelle - as more research is done it is becomming clearer that obesity is a very complex medical condition involving genes, hormones, metabolism, and a whole host of other factors. Obese people have less of the hormone that tells them they are full. They have more of the hormone that increases appetite. The band will not change this. But hopefully if it is filled to the "sweet spot" your fullness will last longer and you will not feel hungry. If you are hungry - instead of eating ice cream or chocolate, try a scrambled egg with some cheese and a piece of toast. Then an hour later, drink something warm - like fat free hot chocolate if you're allowed. But you are doing fine. Keep up the good work.

trayrenee · 10-02-2008, 08:52 PM

One thing that I seem to see missing from so many of these posts on this site and others is the part a really good therapist can play in all of this.

For most of us -- we eat too much because of a variety of reasons but some of them do have to do with feelings, and bad behaviors and addict behavior.

Have you thought of going to see someone that deals w/people who have addictions or food issues -- they can help you explore why you eat too much and then also help you work on some behavior modification to correct the bad habits we all have come to have.

I personally feel that at least 50% of success of this is mental. And if one works on the mind and emotions as much as one works on the what is healthy what is not ... than success is possible.

I'll admit my bias. I'm super pro therapy. I feel like it has enabled me to really get prepared for surgery and to talk freely about what is going through my mind with a trained professional. I see someone who works with addicts and I know for me -- a lot of my behavior is that of someone who is powerless over food.

While it is great to have the help of the board and support groups -- it is also great to have someone who is going to be your guide and really challenge you on your behaviors and feelings.

Don't give up yet. Keep fighting. Keeping trying different methods. Good luck.

TracyinKS · 10-02-2008, 09:36 PM

Keep getting fills until you reach your sweet spot...... but for each of us that special level is different. For me ... I kept getting fills until I could barely eat a cup of food...... that WORKED for ME... but not for others who refuse to go without certain foods. You have to really look into yourself and decide what foods you eat regularly what you are will to change and what you refuse to......... I am queen of self sabotage (as I have lost and gain many times pre band) so for me I knew that IF I could eat pizza I WOULD..... so I keep my restriction level to a point that I CAN NOT PHYSICALLY EAT IT....... because I am a speed eater and one bite would send me to the toilet spitting out the hunk of dough ball that was the crust. I have the small band that is marketed to hold 4cc's, I've had as much as 4.3cc's in it and that was tooooooo much....... I now figure to have a little over 3 cc's and I can eat more than I had been able to prior to my last little unfil, so I am working my Low Carb plan (my plan of choice)

My mom is getting ready to be banded and I have stressed over and over to her that the band is NOT rocket science, you eat less, and feel full longer... and gods honest truth before my last unfill I would go HOURS forgeting to eat... I was not hungry and seriously I was pissed off the first time my stomach actually growled after my last unfil, but I am trying to wrap my head around working my plan........ (sorry if I confused you)

1 fill in my opinion is not enough to feel real restriction. The nurse at my docs office used the term...... (don't worry we will clamp this puppy down) and they did after 4 fills, and the 5th was too much.

You've lost 12 pounds, your winning the race..... get another fill and then take it day by day...... focus on protien, water, and vegtables and see where that gets you..... (even if you just say to yourself that you will go 1 week with no junk) I'm betting that ONE week of determination with get the scale going.

Yes it sucks...... band is not magic, but you DO have to turn it on, and I'm here to tell you that this formerly 272 lb woman is LOVING her size 10 ass! (and I've only lost about 25lbs since January.

**AthinnerDenise** · 10-02-2008, 09:41 PM

When you have a really good fill, things will change. Sometimes I eat a small amount of food yet I am so full, I can't even think about eating. I just feel stuffed and the thought of food makes me feel sick.

It takes several fills to get there though. It took me 7

chicamam1 · 10-03-2008, 12:21 AM

maribele hang in there. you are on your way. youve lost 12 pounds so far. Dont let yourself talk you out of this journey!! you arent a failure. your doing something about it arent you? keep your head up and know your worth this, your family is worth this. your health is worth this!! Its not easy dont I know. Uh. yeah ive messed up too! ive had pizza toppings, a chicken wing. gee.. not so good right? we all slip up but its important we get back on the band wagon. Keep away from those slider foods for sure!! if you gotta have icecream why not try fat free frozen yogurt just a suggestion. anyways you can do this. put some faith in yourself and know you can do this. just imagine you down the road at your goal weight. its so worth it we can do this!!

Maribelle · 10-04-2008, 01:26 AM

Thanks so much for all of the responses! It is good to get a mix of ideas and possibilities. I am very much hoping that it is a case of not being filled to the right spot, as I am exercising restraint, but it only lasts so long. I think therapy is a great idea and I will ask my doctor about it.