Fauxnaif

Almost 4 1/2 years. No problems. Slight reflux with a tight fill a couple of years ago but it loosened up and bit and things are good. I'm pray that I stay this complication-free.

Grilled chicken breast sandwich without mayo and just eat the meat-no bread?

It sounds like you are getting back on track. Good for you! For those psychological issues (and boy do I know about those), I suggest therapy or OA or extensive journalling. Don't suffer without a fill! Get one if you need it. You go!

I lost about 60 pounds without a fill. I think I've had about 4 or 5 fills so about 1 fill per year. I know this is exceptionally few and I am grateful as heck!

I'm in the green zone and have been for over a year. I am so fortunate. That's a great chart. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Congratulations on going to therapy. I know that's a big step and takes A LOT of courage. The help of a good therapist is more beneficial than most people realize. Keep up the good work!

I guess my expectations for the band back in 2002 were: 1. get under 200 from over 300 lbs. 2. be able to shop in regular stores, not plus size 3. see if I felt like having a child and do that successfully if so 4. have more energy, be able to walk comfortably at malls, etc. 5. feel fairly normal Here's what the band has done for me: 1. under 200 (184 and still losing) 2. wearing 12/14s in the regular stores! 3. have a healthy son whom I CAN chase around and play with and not get exhausted 4. have lots and lots more energy 5. working on the feeling normal part still Unexpected effects of the band: 1. I thought I would be much smaller at this size. I've never been thin as an adult. I thought that with my large frame a 14 or 12 would make me look normal weight. But I don't think I do. 2. Still feel self-conscious when people look at me or comment on my weight loss-working on it. 3. My sex life has improved a million percent. I'm less inhibited and things are physically possible that weren't before. 4. I have dealt with so many emotional issues that helped me get fat that it has brought my husband and I a lot closer-talking the stuff out. 5. I'm turning into an athlete! 6. I now love shopping! 7. Feeling more confident and empowered I left a job that was sucking the life out of me and found something more suited to me and am now much happier. 8. I still feel fairly weird around men. But I'm working on that too. 9. Realized I am worth it and found a very, very effective medication regimen for my depression. 10. It's been slow. I've had to stop and get psychologically used to the changes then go on and lose more several several times. It's a big emotional deal when your body changes so much. But at least with the band I had the perogative to stop and wait a while then lose again. All in all, I am so thankful for my band. It's been much better than expected and the things I still need to work on are getting better with time, a little therapy and exercise.

It is hard! I am so thankful for like a pound or two a month!!! But you can still lose sizes and reshape your body more easily than losing weight (in my experience) at this weight. Exercise is the key. I think if you have a goal of no more than 3-4 pounds a month at this point, you won't be disappointed. Also, turn the exercise up and start going by how your clothes fit, not necessarily by your weight. Good luck. I feel your pain.

I could always cross my legs but I am tall. I imagine the shorter you are, the harder it is.

I went from a size 10 to a size 8 1/s and my feet never really looked fat to me at all. It sucks to have to buy all new shoes!!!

Oh yes, and it doesn't fill me up at all. :success1:

That's the most badly-designed website I have ever seen. Horribly bright and bad on the eyes, small font and toooooooooooooooooooo crowded with too many things. Not to mention the content. YUCK.

I'm a 14 and I guess my goal size is a 12. Or a 10. We'll see when I get there. 5'9' for what it's worth. I started at a size 26/28/

These are good questions. 1. Do you feel different after you have the band...like inside, can you tell you've had it done? Does the feeling stay with you constantly? I don't feel the band at all and most of the time completely forget about it except when I am eating because I remember to be slow and conscious when I eat so I can avoid PBs. 2. Pb'ing...that means productive burbing right? Is it like you are burbing nonstop? What does that mean really? You basically burp up some food that got stuck in your upper (new) stomach and won't go down to the big stomach part. 3. Does everyone get staples for their incisions? How many days did it take for it to heal? I had surgery in Mexico and it was lap. I got stiches, not staples. It healed quickly. 4. How has it affected your relationship with your husband/wife? Has anything changed? I feel more comfortable with myself. I feel more of his equal (he is very good-looking). I feel more in love with him than ever because life is good. Our sex life is now through the roof! 5. Are you happier? Much happier because I feel in control. I am getting back to some thigns I loved when I was younger (sports, exercise, etc.). I feel relatively normal and not crazy, which is how I felt most of my life. Therapy has played a role also. The other day some one told me "But you're not fat." Damn.

The main reason I got the band was for more mobility and to enjoy life. And to be able to chase around the kid I wanted to have. Vanity did not play a big role in getting the band but as I lost more and more the vanity did rear its head quite a bit. Now my desire to lose more weight is about 70% vanity, 30% for athletics/sports.

You get full quickly. You don't think that much about food. You forget to eat meals because you are not hungry. Your favorite foods no longer seem that exciting. It's a feeling of fullness in the back of your throat (well, lower than your throat).

Congratulations!!! Bandster babies rock!!! Mine's almost 2!

May I join you??? I still want to lose maybe 15 more and it is getting very, very, very slow. Really, I don't care how much I weigh; I want to be able to wear a 10 in jeans. I'm buying a pair for inspiration! I'm going scaleless, too!!!

More sex! Better sex! More interesting sex! This is great. People are nicer to me, especially women. I guess I am one of them now or more normal or something. Kinda bugs me at times.

I think this is true. I remember having to lose lots before moving down a size when I was in the upper plus sizes. Now I can lose 5 or 10 pounds and go down a size.

Yes! My philosophy is why eat those sweets which will only make me feel groggy and give me a stomach ache eventually? Great idea! 1. No Halloween candy or sweets for me 2. No Starbucks (except regular coffee) drinks until after January 1.

My only remotely addicting activity is cruising thrift shops for cheap, cute clothes. Nothing like a cute $1.41 skirt or $1.91 pants!!!

Watch out or you'll be sidelined for 6 weeks undergoing expensive and time-consuming physical therapy and having to forgo your favorite exercise for 6 weeks like me.

I may be in a bad mood, but I found these guests completely clueless. What? They had no idea that maybe, just maybe, they should get therapy to deal with the issues that caused them to turn to food??? They thought their lives would be perfect after losing weight??? I couldn't summon up much sympathy for these people. They also didn't seem to really want to change. They act as though they are having too much fun. And Carnie saying that she will always be super-addicted to food (in this show and others)? Damn, maybe she needs a better therapist because food just isn't such a huge deal to me anymore. I don't feel like I want to overeat all day every day as she has indicated. Maybe she needs MY therapist for 10 years. I doubt this would happen on such a grand scale with the band. One of their biggest issues I'm sure is what a huge mind-fu$k it is to lose so much weight so quickly.

OMG! I am SO tired of hearing about how bad children from single parent homes turn out. People are either good parents or they are not regardless of their marital status. How dare you assume that two parents turn out better kids than parents who are going it alone (by choice or not). AND...I think that many of the problems blamed on single parents are actually more closely correlated with poverty for whatever reason. Most single parents are women and most women fair very badly financially after a divorce.