Road Queen

Gaynor, give yourself credit. I am sure you lost alot of weight with the band. You have managed to keep most of that off and know your limitations. Just knowing that any cheating has a price is something most of us forgot before. I just lost my band 11 weeks ago and I loved my band. I am struggling to like life without it. Stopping the weight gain, trying to figure out what I can eat, and exercising are consuming my life. I hope to get where you are soon - knowing your stabized weight and how to maintain it. Hang in there and recognize the good you have done.

Restless Monkey - thank you. You get it entirely. And I just needed one person to comprehend what I feel. I will continue to struggle and hopefully keep the wait off but now will get on with my mourning. Thanks.

I loved my band and lost weight gradually. It took me 4 years to lose my weight (90 pounds). But, it slipped and had to be removed. I am unable to keep my weight down and am struggling every day. So I am thinking about getting the sleeve. I don't know much about it so I have signed up today to start learning. Glad to hear so many people are happy with their sleeve.

I was self-pay with my band. And insurance is not covering all the costs of the surgery to put it back into place nor the surgery to remove it. I have put more into the surgeries than my first house cost me! I will look at the sleeve. My surgeon said he had just started them and was happy with the results. Thankfully, I am working in Iraq and don't have alot of opportunities to spend so I can save for a sleeve . If anyone has good ideas that they used to maintain their weight post band loss, please share.

I feel bad for everyone who wants to get rid of their band. I had problems with acid reflux and the band slipped - when they tried to fix it, I ended up having a reaction and they had to remove it. I miss my band. I liked having control over my eating. I liked the fact that food did not control my life. I am 50 days out of surgery and have gained 25 pounds. I really don't think I am eating more than when I had the band but the weight keeps coming on. I continue to exercise 60-90 minutes a day. I measure my food. I track my diet and exercise. But it just doesn't seem to work. And this weight gain is real. I can hardly sit in pants that I could take off without unzipping 2 months ago. Sorry to complain but I am hoping someone who has lost their band will have some tips for me. And living in Baghdad doesn't give me alot of people to whine to...

I am 4 years out and below my goal.

Well, now thats its daylight and I am thinking rationally, I might know some of the reasons it is so aggrevated right now. Our temperatures have rapidly risen above 110 and that tends to cause me issues. Also, lots of people here have gotten parasites lately so I should go ask the nurse about meds for that. Just praying I don't have anything serious and need to lose my band. People either lose weight here or get really fat. With my pre-disposition towards overeating, I would explode overnight...will keep you guys updated.

La Madam, you have always been such an inspiration. And continue to be. I haven't been on line much in the past few years but peek in periodically. I was stressing this morning because I had bad reflux last night and am going back to the US in 16 days and didn't want to spend my time there doctoring. But you have maintained and done so well. I just hope that if I lose my band I will stay as motivated. In fact, I am going to get up an run a couple of miles to remind myself how far I have come. BTW, it was great to see postings from Jack, Jachut, Alexandra, etc. Everybody who was around when I was here all the time. I will try and get on more but even with good internet connection, the pages take a long time to load and time is not something I have alot of here.

Thanks for these postings. I have been banded for 4 years and have had periodic acid reflux and other issues over the past couple of years (esophagus problems due to reacting to anti-malaria pills). But the last couple of weeks have been miserable. After reading your posts, I am hoping that an unfill will do it. I have my dr working on setting up appointments for me when I return to the US at month end but it is very stressful being days away from drs and weeks away from getting to them. I really hope I don't lose my band. I do love the new me and am dedicated to maintaining myself but the band helps alot. Also, I only have a couple of weeks in the US and I don't want to spend them recovering from surgery. Sorry to whine but I am having middle of the night coughing up stuff and stressing.

Warm. I forget sometimes and take a big swallow of cold drink and lose it completely. Thanks for reminding me to remember good band rules.

Anyone living in the International Zone, Baghdad and eating at the cafeteria? How are you doing handling the food and maintaining or losing?

I always wore suits and skirts to work so that isn't the change. Where the change for me has been is the style of clothes. I wear alot of short jackets - much better for a short person. I wear different styles of clothes, more fashionable. Sometimes, I think I am playing Barbie when I am dressing up. Except for the fact that I didn't grow a chest or those long legs :huh2:. Wear whatever you are comfortable in. You lost this weight for yourself so dress accordingly.

I don't eat movie popcorn but I do eat popcorn regularly (3-5 times a week), home popped with grapeseed or olive oil with no problems. Everybody is different. Just wait until you learn how your body reacts, what your new tastes are, and adjust accordingly. I am a former carb craver who hates most carbs now. Good luck.

Thanks guys. I am there too. I don't care if I eat. I was on a trip recently and couldn't find food - was rationing my Protein shakes to survive and just thinking it would be easier if I never had to waste time with food. But I did come home two days early cuz I knew I needed to eat. How strange! I have recipes to die for, huge parties with tons of food, and I seldom taste any of it. I love my band!

Forestcat5 - thanks. The hardest thing is the struggle to be a good bandster. When I go on safari, meals are provided and the dinner is usually served after 9. At dinner parties or evenings out, people never eat before 8 and I have been at parties where the food wasn't served until 11. Getting Protein can be difficult - I still rely sometimes on shakes and bars. My biggest surprise was how difficult it is to have staff. I have a 2 acre yard and a huge house. The gardener works 50 hours a week and cannot keep up. I employ my household help half time (and pay full wages) and just keeping up with the dirt, dust, preparing vegetables, laundry, etc is challenging. But I currently have good staff and appreciate it (after a couple of disasters with bad staff). Right now, it is hot and dry. It has not rained since May. In about a month, the rains will start and continue until May. But most days, its just a couple of showers. In Feb/March, there will be many heavy rains and storms. Hopefully, my internet will be stable this rainy season. Last year, I lost it from Dec - March. Celeste