Will LapBand work for sweet-tooths?

[Rachelle]

I am a sugar addict. Before I got the LapBand, I read that some doctors refuse to give LapBands to patients with a sweet tooth because it can be ineffective. That concerned me since I have a t-e-r-r-i-b-l-e sweet tooth. My diet before the LapBand consisted mostly of chocolate and Dr. Pepper. I was desperately in need of help with my overeating problem. I had already been to two expensive eating disorder treatment centers, which helped for a time, but then I would always go back to old eating behaviors and gain all my weight back - plus more. I have been to countless Overeaters Anonymous meetings, which helped, but I still could never maintain control of my eating. Bypass surgery wasn't an option for me, so I decided to risk getting the LapBand. I am grateful beyond words that I am no longer able to drink Dr. Peppers. I was addicted to drinking about a case of Dr. Peppers per day. Now I drink NO carbonated drinks at all. I miss Dr. Peppers like crazy. I envy anyone I see carrying a can of Dr. Pepper. I know if it were not for the LapBand, I may never have been able to stop drinking Dr. Peppers. I will be 50% satisfied with the LapBand surgery if all it did was break my Dr. Pepper habit.

The other "50% satisfied" will be if the LapBand can block my sweet tooth. I have a 10 cm band (installed Sep 2006), and the only time that the LapBand helped me cut back on chocolate was when I was filled to 2.75 cc. Chocolate simply tasted too sweet to eat much of it. It worked perfectly for about 3 months , but then I started choking on my own saliva at night. The doctor said I probably had a partial obstruction, so he unfilled me down to 2.0 cc (I am now at 2.5 cc). I have since been gaining my weight back rapidly from eating cookies, chocolate, and ice cream bars. My doctor thinks that getting mad at me and telling me to use my willpower will motivate me not to eat sweets. I told him if I could have done this through "normal" diet means, I would not have paid $15,000 for a LapBand! I knew from the beginning that the LapBand is just a tool, and that it may be ineffective for patients with a sweet-tooth, but I am still hoping that I can find my perfect fill number between 2.5 and 2.75 cc. I am scheduled for a .05 cc fill every two weeks until I find the right fill number. In the mean time, I'm humiliated by my weight gain. I had to ask the girl to whom I gave my fat clothes if she would give them back to me. She did, but I felt so ashamed. I have been just wanting to crawl in a hole and hide-out until I get this LapBand figured out. I would rather be and stay fat than lose 30 pounds and then start busting out of my clothes from regaining it. My fear is that, just as I have failed at all my other weight loss attempts, I will fail at the LapBand, too. Does anyone have any words of encouragement for me?

[CalKev]

I am scheduled for a .05 cc fill every two weeks until I find the right fill number. In the mean time, I'm humiliated by my weight gain. I had to ask the girl to whom I gave my fat clothes if she would give them back to me. She did, but I felt so ashamed. I have been just wanting to crawl in a hole and hide-out until I get this LapBand figured out. I would rather be and stay fat than lose 30 pounds and then start busting out of my clothes from regaining it. My fear is that, just as I have failed at all my other weight loss attempts, I will fail at the LapBand, too. Does anyone have any words of encouragement for me?

Rachelle,

This may sound off base and totally crazy but throw the "fat" clothes out. Trash them or take them to a charity. Buy new clothes that fit you "now" and go from there. Try a new start. It may hurt the wallet but it may help you move "forward" in your mind. Don't buy duplicates of the fat clothes go to different stores and try new things. Take the energy in the shame and turn it on its head. Feel good about yourself. We all need to feel happy and positive about ourselves to succeed in our lapband life process.

Congratulations... and I mean it. You have come so far. Not everyone gets as far as you have. I have been in a plateau since December, 2006, and even put on some weight recently on a vacation. That is life. It's living. That is a fact. I chose the consequences and I am happy

[FurEllie]

I know this sounds crazy, but DO NOT LET YOURSELF EAT SWEETS FOR A FEW WEEKS! I did that right after my band being on the liquid diet. I found I no longer had the cravings. However, after I got overfilled and unfilled, I started eating sweets again and the intense cravings are back. Honestly I've always eaten a big meal, and then something sweet - just to satisfy me. I HAD to have sweets. I finally threw EVERYTHING sweet out of the house. Period.

And this is from someone who can easily eat a box of chocolate, several Reese's, a complete pan of brownies - all at the same time!

I remember when I did Atkins that they said the carb craving will go away after a certain period of time and honestly, it worked for me. Now I just need to get back to TJ, get a fill, get back on liquids for a few days and start eating healthy again. Now I know I just can't eat "some" sweets. Which really sucks, but I'd rather lose the weight. It's hardcore withdrawal though.

If you have to have sweets, which seriously I may end up doing, buy 1 thing at a time, take a bite, then put it in the trash and cover it with Tabasco sauce, raw egg, cat poop from the litterbox - whatever you need to make sure you don't dive in there and eat the rest.

[bethy]

I know this sounds crazy, but DO NOT LET YOURSELF EAT SWEETS FOR A FEW WEEKS! I did that right after my band being on the liquid diet. I found I no longer had the cravings. However, after I got overfilled and unfilled, I started eating sweets again and the intense cravings are back. Honestly I've always eaten a big meal, and then something sweet - just to satisfy me. I HAD to have sweets. I finally threw EVERYTHING sweet out of the house. Period.

And this is from someone who can easily eat a box of chocolate, several Reese's, a complete pan of brownies - all at the same time!

I remember when I did Atkins that they said the carb craving will go away after a certain period of time and honestly, it worked for me. Now I just need to get back to TJ, get a fill, get back on liquids for a few days and start eating healthy again. Now I know I just can't eat "some" sweets. Which really sucks, but I'd rather lose the weight. It's hardcore withdrawal though.

If you have to have sweets, which seriously I may end up doing, buy 1 thing at a time, take a bite, then put it in the trash and cover it with Tabasco sauce, raw egg, cat poop from the litterbox - whatever you need to make sure you don't dive in there and eat the rest.

Do you know why when you were on the Atkins diet that your surgar cravings went away? I beleive it was because your body was receiving an adequate amount of protein. I have always had stronge chocolate cravings. I noticed the more protien I eat the less sugar I crave. I may eat it now, but I don't NEED or CRAVE it. I finally have found control over it. I know OCC wants us to have 60 grams of protien per day. Are you getting this much protien? Protien is a hard one to continue to get 60 grams a day. If you are getting 60 grams and still crave sweets, you may need more than 60 grams of proptien. Take note of you protien in take. Increase it and see if your cravings go away. Now when I start craving chocolate I check to see if I am getting enough protien. Guess What? I'm not. So I increase my protien in take and cravings go away. I just don't need them. Hope this helps.

Beth

[FurEllie]

Do you know why when you were on the Atkins diet that your surgar cravings went away? I beleive it was because your body was receiving an adequate amount of protein. I have always had stronge chocolate cravings. I noticed the more protien I eat the less sugar I crave. I may eat it now, but I don't NEED or CRAVE it. I finally have found control over it. I know OCC wants us to have 60 grams of protien per day. Are you getting this much protien? Protien is a hard one to continue to get 60 grams a day. If you are getting 60 grams and still crave sweets, you may need more than 60 grams of proptien. Take note of you protien in take. Increase it and see if your cravings go away. Now when I start craving chocolate I check to see if I am getting enough protien. Guess What? I'm not. So I increase my protien in take and cravings go away. I just don't need them. Hope this helps.

Beth

It does help and makes perfect sense! I know I'm not eating near as much protein now as I was when I was on the liquid portion after the band. I need to start adding my Unjury unflavored to more stuff.

Thanks