FuelMan

I am so glad someone asked the qustion, What the heck is "TOM". I am uselly up on a lot of email shorthand, but.......... this got me. So now I know, the qustion is................ what will I do with this newly gotten information ??????? As someone that does not deal with that time of the month, I guess we can call it a number of things, ie: Flying the Flag............ etc. So I guess TOM is cool. But what about us guy's ????? I know we are few, but we are out there. I do however find that my band is tighter in the morning, and if I just have a shake and a small lunch, dinner is good. BUT............ If I eat a big Breakfast, the rest of the day is "SHOT", it's almost like I have no restriction at all, and this could be ATOM, (any time of the month) not just, "That Time". Butch

I am to say the least.......... more then a little disapointed. I have been waiting for a fill for more then a YEAR !!!!!!!!!! So I have to go to NY to finish up on Pop's will, so my best friend up there let's me have her appointment, and I get a fill. From 2 cc to 2.5 cc. Now you would think I would be enought, Right???? Well, now that I am back in good Ol'florida. I can still eat too much. Darn!!!!!!!!!! Now I have to try and go to the Dr. Grossbard in Tampa, and kiss there butts to take me, so I can have a fill. I was hopeing this .5 cc would be enought, BUT......... man makes plans and God laugh's. I have tryed the Dr in Ocala but he won't do anyone he did not install the band on. If any one knowes a Dr closer then Tampa that would be great. Butch

I think you hit the nail on the head Susan, we have learned to show the world how much the world has hurt us. We do this by being FAT !!!!! It's not like you can hide it !!!! I am not talking to the people that are a little bit over weight, I mean the real fatties'. The ones that people can't help but stare at. The one's that even we as fattier's have too look at in disgust, because they remind us of our own pain. We hate our self's so much we take the long road to death, digging our grave a fork full at a time. Lisa, the lady that started this thread is in a lot of pain, and baby I feel that pain, and I know it all to well. You are talk'in to someone who has bought 2 dozen dunk'in donuts while going to a party and ate one dozen on the way. And when I got there and people started to look at the donuts, I said : "Hummm which one should I have ????" Now, this is someone in a lot of pain. I know all the sick thing we do, and I know the "Madness" that goes on in your head, telling you, "what the heck", who cares anyway ??? Believe me I know the pain of wanting to eat one's self to death. Someone who would have, surgery to lose weight and then do something so crazy as to try to eat past the "Band" and end up doing damage to our self's. Now, ask yourself ?................ Why would someone do that ????? Answer that, and you will start to find the beginning of the path that might lead you back to some kind of sane eating. You have to want to stop, that is the first step. And the next is to tell on yourself, just like you did, don't let this "Madness" get you alone. It grows in the dark when we are alone. Keep talking and telling on yourself, there are people that understand. I do, anyone else ??????? Butch

I wanted to be anything but my Ol 'man. He was a drunk and the most mean and abusive man I ever meet. Cold and aloof, never showing anything. He had 2 feelings Rage & Nothing. WELL.................... guess who I grew up to be ???????? Give UP ?????? You got it, my dear Old dad. It was a tuff road, with some very low bottoms. I did however surpass him, he never did drugs. So I ran the gamit on that one. BUT........ wait, it all turns out for the best. No, I did not die, I found a wonderful woman, and ended up getting Clean in NA, and have been for 25 years now. I have changed my life and now I am the softest sweetest, most compashionet man you will ever meet. Even dog love me. I love my live and all the people in it, and that is why I am losing this weight and getting to 200 lbs with the help of the band. Me and my family deserve it. For weird things.............. Boy there are a lot, I was kind of a weird kid, still am. When driving in a car, and looking through the windshield, you can see these ray's of light caused by the street lights. The ray's came from the light to the windshield of the car. Well.... I thought they pulled the car along, or pushed till the next light could grab it. Now, when you where in the country, it was the moon and the very distant light that moved the car along. Of course....... the lights in the country where a lot stronger then the lights in the city, that is why you did not need so many of them. Even today when I am driving at night alone, and I catch one of these rays, I think of that time as a child. I don't think I have ever told anyone this, you guy's are the first. How lucky, right???? Butch

You guy's are my sisters and my brothers. You know my pain and my joy's. I have been at this eating game for some 20 years, and have never been on the winning side. This time I am 370 and not going back up. I eat all day, a little at a time. I am fighting to get another fill so I can lose more weight. My real sister in NY is now like 160 lbs and all because of the band. She looks great, BUT................. the band and not being able to eat like she use to, sent her to the "Bug House" (not dissing, anyone who has been there, I have been there and I deal with it by laughing at it). So she looks great but is on a lot of "Med's" to keep her sane. Not this white boy, I will talk to people and let this maddness in my head out somewhere. I think hateing one's self is not what is cracked up to be, I have been hateing myself all my live and I have never changed a thing, I am still here. This maddness in my head thinks it can kill me and go on living, sick, right?? I am encourging you all to take to each other, tell on yourself, and if you are going off the deep end take someone with you. Sometimes it's harder to run with another at your side. Remember this "THING" (the maddness) like's the dark and can't live in the light, SO............ expose it to some light, ask a bunch of fatty's over and have an eating party, I bet it won't last as long or it won't be as bad. I love you guy's a lot. Butch

I am hav'in a heck of a time. Last year I tried to get a fill in Tampa with Dr Grossbard, because I was at that time over 400 lbs, the x-ray place at the hospital wouldn't let me on the table (limit was 400 lbs), and they would not let Dr Grossbard do the fill. So, the x-ray guy tried. By trying, I mean he tried and failed terribly. There was blood all over the front of me, as I was standing up, and he had at least 4 holes. I was very up set and after putting out $300 for the hospital, and $200 for Dr Grossbard's office. SO.......... I asked for my money back. They both gave me my money back. So I got no fill and was on the "What should I do List". I ended up very sick and losing a lot of weight way too quickly. I ended up with A-fib, because of the weight loss, 90 lbs in a little over a month. I had to go to NY in Feb. and got a fill from Dr Guiss, the doctor who did the band install. The lady at his office did the fill in about 15 min's., like.... no big deal, in and out. There was 2 cc's in the band and she added .5 cc's, so now there is 2.5 cc's in the band that holds a total of 5 cc's. WELL.......... that was not enough, as I can still eat too much and I am not losing any weight. I am wanting to lost this weight, and I have no will power to eat less, so the band needs to be tighter, right???. I don't want to go back to NY for a fill. SO.............. I found out on this wonderful helpful site that there is a place called "fillcenterUSA.com". I contacted them and they found a place in Tampa that I could get the fill. The cost was $299 at first, and then $75 for each fill after that. I went there and the lady was very nice and very friendly, but after almost 45 min's. could not find the port to fill the band. She used 3 needles and even bent one!!! I was in lot of pain afterwards because of all the poking and jabbing. I don't know what the problem was, the office in NY had no problem??? Well, I left there without the fill and she wanted me to get a Fluoroscope, to check the band/port. I ask them where I can go, and they referred me to Dr Grossbard's office and he refused to see me as, I had a problem with his office a year ago. Now I am stuck stopping payment on the check because I was not able to get the fill I needed. And Dr Grossbard's office will not see me. The fillcenterUSA told me that I could go to Tacoma WA, or Mexico!!!! If I have to go that far I might as well go to NY where they have no problem doing the fill. I am very disappointed, and very frustrated with the whole thing. Now the fillcenterUSA place will not try a fill without having a Fluoroscope, and they still want me to pay the $299, plus I have to pay for the x-ray thing. "WHAT AM I TO DO ???" I thought it would be an easy thing, I can feel the port, it's right there. Maybe I am expecting too much from the doctor's and I need to be more excepting of there limitations, and what they can do. I am just venting and expressing my frustration with my inability to lose weight, without the band being tighten. I thought that is what the band was for, right?? I have another 170 lbs to lose, and it ain't going to be easy without my trusty "Lap-Band". I am just feeling sorry for myself and angry with myself for not following through with Dr Grossbard's office, and working something out with them. I was so embarrassed and ashamed when I was too fat to get on the table for the x-ray. I wanted so badly to cry, as so many times in my life I was so ashamed of being FAT, and being who I am. So instead of crying, like I always do...... I lost my temper at the hospital when asking for my money back. Was I wrong in doing that????? I would think when you pay to get a fill, and they can't do it........ why should I pay???? Is it wrong to think this way?? Should I pay anyway??? Maybe I could beg and plead to Dr Grossbard and his office, and offer to pay extra money weather I get a fill or not. It would be a lot easyer going to Tampa, 90 min. drive, then going to NY, a 48 hour drive one way. Sorry, for being so long winded, and whiny, WAW, WAW, WAW, somebody call me a........ WAM-U-LIN's. Anyway, thanks for listening.......... Butch

Thank you all so much for you kind words and thoughts. Like I said I am going to NY in May and ask them what the deal is with the Port. And should I have Floro? As for the people in Tampa not wanting to see me, I really don't get it, it's not like I started throwing things around the office, nor did I cuss anyone out. I was just demanding my money back. If someone was to talk to me about......... let's say, working something out or another way to go....... I would have been more then happy to work with them, I am not an unreasonable man. Anyway........ I will only call them if and when I need another fill ajustment. For now I am going to NY and I will see what happens there. Now as for "GEEZERSUE". Did you get the Panni ?????? How was it ????? Did the recovery take forever ???? I know I will need this sometime in the near furture, and what I read about it, it sounds like a bull of a operation, But I can't wait. Please wright back and let me know. Butch

I guess I am just PO'ed at myself for letting my temper map out my future, AGAIN !!!!! I have had a really bad temper my entire life, and have made some great changes as of lately, but........... every once in awhile, it gets the best of me. If you think about it, if you go to the doctor with something wrong and he can't fix it??? Then why should you pay ??? It would like taking your car to a garage and them not fixing it, would you pay for a car that was not fixed??? I was in the service business for 30 years and if I could not fix someone's heat or boiler I did not get paid, well I think the same goes for the doctors. "NO tickie, NO shirt'ie". On the other hand......... I guess they did put in there time, and effort, and they might be compensated for there time, but too many times we end up paying for stuff & services we never get. When I think the world is treating me unfairly, my temper sometimes gets the best of me. I wish it where different, I bet if I where a normal weight I would not let this stuff gets to me so much. I use my temper to cover up just how embarrassed I am of being FAT. "You know, the best defence is a good offence", right??? But I have an appointment in NY in May, and will tell them what happen and see what they want to do, reguarding the Floro. Butch

Thank you all for your insight and your concern. First in NY they will only do another fill after 3 weeks. They say sometimes it takes that long to make a change. I don't really get it but......... that is what they will do. So I have made an appointment in NY with Dr. Guiss on 9:30 am May 31st. And I will have the fill done there. I did the Floro thing twice, once a year and half ago in NY, my last fill. The person in Tampa was on Palm River Rd and she was very nice. I am sure she is a great person, but she might just have a problem with doing fills on my type of band, Whatever that is????? They did ask me what type of Band I have, and I told them I did not have a clue. I will ask the NY office what the type is. I know it only holds 5 cc's top. So I guess the most you can have in there is........................ 4.5 cc's???? Just kidding. Vine Queen tell your hubbie I know how he feels. I have always been rather large. I handle myself pretty good for a really fat guy, and even when I was 585 I could dance and work, but only for short time, LOL. In fact....... I could do a lot more when I was 500 then I can do now. It is only because I am so out of balance, having lost most of the 200 lbs on the top and in the back, so everything else sunk down in front to hang like a 100 lb tool belt. So after walking or doing most anything my back is killing me. That is why I need this fill so I can lose the weight and have the Panni thing operation. That is to get rid of the hangie belly thing. I was telling someone on one of these threads about the operation and it sounded like I was having my penis removed !!!!!!!!!! They thought it was so large it was hurting my back, LOL, I could only wish, LOL. I guess you got to be under 400 lbs to get a Floro thing done? I have asked some people in the x-ray game and they tell me, all x-ray tables have weight limits now. I guess a couple of fatty's broke them. Thank God I have never broke any. I would be so embarssed I would want to die. I have broken my share of chairs in my day. BUT, thank God I am Enlightened FAT person today and know where to sit and what to sit on......... nothing PVC or Plastic, LOL. Thanks again you all, and I will keep you in formed what the scoop is. Peace. Butch

I am what you call "Semi-retired". I owed a Retail Fuel Oil & Service Company on Long Island, NY, small, we did around 1 million gallons a year. Then because of being too fat and unhealthy, (also no children wanted to take over the company) so after 30 years, I quit and sold the company to a bigger fish. I got the Band installed and am now living in Sunny Florida, and lov'in it big time. I now do Rental Prop., buying and selling real estate, and a lot of lofing around, LOL, Not really, the fact is I have no idea where I found the time to work, LOL. This is a great thread, it's way cool to see what others are doing for a living. You guy's have some really neat job's. Almost's make me want to get back into the work field...... NOT !!!!! Butch

Oh Vine Queen, I am so sorry. I have had cellulite a bunch of times, lower left leg, to put in mildly...... it suck's. I was hospitalized twice for it, 10 days on IV. A couple of things I have learned, wear stockings, not the girly ones, the ones you buy at the medical store. Put a pillow under the mattress, and take Water pills. The water pills really help the swelling. I would rather deal with the cramps from the water pills then deal with the cellulite. My heart goes out to you. Butch

Oh...... come on lady's, it can't be that bad ?????? I am the lazyest person in the world and I am never without anything to do. I was just out in the garden seeding and watering (can weed a little, tuff bending over, LOL, scary thought) setting the seeds. I was enjoying the sunshine, might have got a little color, I love walking in shorts and no shirt. Like my friend Jimmy use to say, "If I had a better body I would go around naked". I was out helping a friend this moring and on the phone making some business calls. When All else fail's............ read some and take a nap. In fact that is where i am going right now. 3 to 4 pm, "NAP TIME". Butch

Chris, I am not ready to do any kind of surgery just yet, as I have another 150+ to go. So you see why I want this next half to go a little faster then the first. The friend in Long Island lives on the North Shore and her name on this site is "TinaLondon" you can send her a message. She just had the band installed in November, so she is pretty new to this. What a pal, right? to give up her appointment, there is a 3 month wait. So I really lucked out. Someone on this chat gave me a site "fillcenterusa.com", so I filled out the reg. and I will see what they say. The person told me it would be like a $150 sign up and then like $60 per fill, or something like that. Down here in Florida Ins don't pay for fills, so if you go to a doctor, it's like $250 to $300, too much for me. Anyway.......... I will wait till I lose another 100 lbs before I look for a surgeon. The thing I need to have done is called a "Panniculectomy Surgery", it's like they cut you all the way around and pull up the skin like a pair of pants, and pull down the skin like a shirt, and take off the excess. They also tighten up the AB muscles, the ones that been stretched out to ungodly lengths, LOL. I see you have had a lot of fills. You went up to 4 cc, WOW. The band only holds 5 cc, right? Well I might have a way's to go, seeing as I only have 2.5 cc's. I will never be able to lose weight eating the amount I am, so the fill is really important. Get in touch with Tina London and tell her Butch said to write, she is the best, really my best friend, I love her lots. Hope to hear from you soon. All the best. Butch

I was just wondering about the fill thing myself. I have had 2 cc in the band for a year, and have lost very little weight (to be honest, none). I have been putting off a fill because I still want to eat. It's not like I can, "Eat like I am going to the Chair", but I can eat too much. So.......... a couple of weeks ago I am in NY, and I am ready to lose weight again, so I set up to get a fill. they put in .5 cc, now I have 2.5 cc and I am happy to be losing weight again, right ?????? Wrong !!!!! I can still eat as much as I did before. Not from the first, but 3 weeks out and I can sit and eat a whole meal. So I am going for another fill, if I can get an appointment. You see in Florida it ain't that easy to get a fill, got to use another doctor. Anyway, you sound like you got a cool job, and just for me........ I would love to be where you are (band wise, I mean). Feeling my restrict. If your band is too tight, you can't drink Water, right?? Anything but that is cool, right? I mean, I ain't gon'a strive, right? Too much excess for the body to live off of. I could probably not eat for a month and still have a lot more to go on :confused: . WELL......... I hope you the best of luck in you new adventure, Peace. Butch

OK, I to came here for the wrong reason's. Do you swallow? Mmmmmm???? But........ I do see what you mean. I meet a lady the other night in NY, and she told me she has a band installed and had the fill, taken out. She said she was throwing up 6 or 7 times a day. Well........... after you realize you can't eat as much as you used to and you keep trying to force it, you will lose it by pukeing up. You have to eat slowly, very slowly, and when you feel the tide rise......... STOP !!!!!!!!!!!!! Stop eating, right away, not one more thing, even if it's your favorite thing (fried carb's being mine). We fatty's learn the hard way, we figure if we force the food I can finish the meal, or wherever. But, no....... the band will not let you finish, you will feel uncomfortable, and then puke, no two ways about it, if you eat too much or too fast your pukeing. I learned the hard way, when I first start eat'in, I like to take a big Ol' bite and swallow without even chewing......... well, that don't happen any more, not unless I want to run to the bowl, and I have, many times. Now I watch what I eat and I eat very slowly, and chew a lot. In fact I mush the food on the roof on my mouth to make sure it's chewed enough. I have had the swallowing X-ray thing a few times, and no problem (Thank God). Just get it through our overeating chubby brain, we can't like we want to. This is why we got the band installed in the first place. Butch

I am disappointed as well, I can only dream, right? But........... what I do have is mine and it will stay just where it is !!!!!!!!! Regarding the Pannie thing....... I have already lost some 200+ lbs, and I just e-mailed the guy's @ fillcentersusa.com and asked for a Dr. that would do a fill for me, in North Florida. I just had one in NY 3 weeks ago. I went from 2 cc to 2.5 cc, it still ain't enough, as I can eat too much. I think I need another .5 cc to make it an even 3 cc in the band. I figure that if I lose another 100 lbs I will be ready for this Pannie thing. So........... I will only have to do this once, heck, once is enough for anyone. I have done some looking on this, and found some peep's that have had it done, and the big thing is the recovery time, something like 8 to 10 weeks, WOW that's some time. BUT............. seeing that I am 53 now, I ain't get'in no younger, and there is some stuff I would like to do before they throw dirt in my face....... thing's like..... see my......... feet? LOL:eek: . I wanted to get this done like a year ago, and I was still too fat, but I was being lazy (something new, right?) and wanted them to take the weight from me, then I started looking, and there was a lot more fat, a lot more places then in the belly area, so......... back to work, and I am ready for this, I wish the fill done in NY had worked and was enough. It kind of is enough to maintain, I can't "Eat like I was going to the chair", but I can still eat a full meal, and then some. I would be able to lose weight this way, but...... without exercise, it would take forever. So I am ready for another fill, in order to cut back on the food. I have been waiting for this for 3 years. I was not ready last year to lose the weight, but now I am. Off we go, into the unknown, I better keep my eye's on the Man Upstairs, he will be my guide. Thanks for the laughs guy's your great. Butch

NO, NO, NO, I like my penis right where it is. It may not be much but it's all I got, LOL . What it is....... is the removal of the belly part that hangs over the pelvis. What they do is, cut you all the way around and remove the skin and excess fat that hangs over....... then they shorten up the muscles in your belly, the ones that have been streched out over the years. Then...... they pull up the lower skin like a pair of pants, and the upper skin like pulling down a shirt, cut off the excess, and reinstall the belly button. Sort of tightens all the skin all over the place, belly, back, legs, ass,........etc. I know I am not sounding this sound too good and I might not be explaining it all that well, but it's something like that. It really is major surgery, you see the insureance's company's, won't pay for a tummy tuck, but they will pay for this. Because of back pain, and rash's it is nessaseruy. Does this make any sense???? Butch

WOW........... Thanks Betty, that is great news, I really mean it, that is really great news. I am going on the site now. Your the best girl, you GO !!!!!!!! It's a good thing I did not just call the office, it would have cost me over $500 to do it that way. Thanks again. Butch

I have lost like 1000 lbs in the last 20 years. I am 53 and this battle has gone on forever. Since the lap-band was installed I am ready and willing to keep the weight loss going. I did take a holiday there for a year or so. Now I am ready to go forward. I have lost a normal size person, and I have another person to go, LOL:eek: . But, I am ready to do the work. I think it took that year off to get my head right, it ain't all in the eating. For some reason I was not ready to be a normal size, today I am. Well................... at least I think so.......LOL. Thanks for the thought, and it's nice to know that the end is in sight. Peace. Butch

I have waited like........ 2 1/2 weeks, they told me at the Dr. office in NY to wait that long. So I am ready to lose more weight and after such a long wait, I am mentally ready to do this. I think I am going to call this Dr in Tampa and see if I can get them to take me. Even if they need to do the X-ray thing, I am at a weight where I can go on there table without fear of breaking the dam thing. How dumb is it to make a table that will only hold 400 lbs. I guess I can see where your more normal people are under that weight, but down here in Florida there some really fatty's. You would think they would make one that would hold the fat people. Anyway, I am 53 and I don't want to wait another 3 years to do this. I am ready to lose the weight and be on with my life. I also need some major surgery when I lose another 75 to 100 lbs, I need a "Pann-nec-ta-me" or something like that. When I looked it up on the "net", it is some kind of surgery, with like a 8 week after care. OUCH. Well, it's the only way I will be able to have any kind of normal life. I am walking around (not that much walking really, because of the pain it causes) with a 100 lb apron or tool belt on. It kills my back, I could walk more when I was 550, then I can now. It seems like everything went south, LOL . Way south. It's just that there is so much I want to do, and this fatness is holding me back. Now that I am ready to lose more, thanks to God, I don't want to wait, ain't that just like an addict, "Hurry up and Wait". Good this the Lord has a sense of humor. Butch

I am having the same problem as you. I live like 70 miles north of Tampa, and I needed a fill. I tryed all the people close to here and no one would take me. So I found a Dr grossbard in Tampa. He said he would take me and it would cost $300 at the office, and $200 for a thing done at the hospital. So $500 total. I thought that was cool so I did it. Well........as I was 400+ lbs the hospital did not want me on the X-ray table and would not let the doctor do it. I was so embarrassed and ashamed, so of course I got good and "Pissed", and, although they did not want to, they did give me my money back. BUT............. Now as I am 375 and light enought for there table, I might be able to get it done down there. I did go up to NY and have a fill, they took out 2cc, & put back in 2.5 cc. I don't think it is enought as I can still too much. If I am going to lose any more weight, I need to eat less. I am the type, that if I can eat a full meal, I will. This is what the band is suppost to do. Keep me from eating. As of right now I can't eat like I was going to the chair, but in order to lose another 150 lbs I need to eat a lot less. Butch

Yeah, I have been to many of Dr. Guiss's support groups. In fact I just saw him a couple of weeks ago when I went there for a fill. I tried to get one down here in Florida, but they where given me the run around. So I just made an appointment when I was up there. In fact, my best friend gave me her appointment as I could not get one on such short notice. What a PAL, right? I am living in Florida for the past few years, and I have had some health issues due to Water build up. This was due to a bad liver nothing to do with the band. Then after some heart stuff (an after affect of the water loss) I was finely ready to have a fill. There was 2 cc in the band, and they put back in 2.5 cc. I don't think it's enough. I can't eat like I am going to the chair, but I can eat too much, and I do......... sometimes. I will try and get another fill from a doctor in Tampa that does the band installments, his name is Dr. Grossbard. I got his name of this site. I still have another 150 to go, but I am half way there. I don't want this last 150 to come off as slow as the first. I will also need some major surgery around the middle when this is over, as I have an apron belly of like 100 lbs. It is kick'in my butt, as far as doing much walking. It pulls on my back big time. I could walk more when I was really fat. So I can only work out in the pool, as far as walking and stuff like that. I don't remember if we have meet, as I suffer from the "Can't remember S__T" disease. I am a big guy (LOL) with a shaved head, and goatee & glasses, about 6' 1" tall, biker looking type. Anyway, I hope you are doing well also, health wise, and weight wise. How are you doing with your band and weight loss? Better then me I hope, LOL. Butch

I have had the Band for over 3 years and have lost 170+ lbs. I just got another fill when I was in NY. I did have 2 cc, now I have 2.5cc. After 2 weeks I can feel I still need more. I will go back and get another 2.5 cc. Maybe in May. This is the best thing ever. You can lose as slow or as fast as you want. Or if you want you can have the fill removed, and, "eat like your going to the chair". I would encourage anyone to do this. Good luck. Butch

I am with Penni60, can't we just get along????? everyone here is just doing our best and trying to understand. Don't take thing so personal. Let's just be nice to each other. Play nice with the other children. Butch

To Photo nut, If it where just something we could do by making good, smart decisions, and or good judgement calls, none of us would need a lap-ban. Why do people keep eating till they are 550 lbs ???? Why do alcoholics drink till they die ??? Why do drug addicts use there drug till there is nothing left of body mind or spirit???? Why do people gamble themselves and there family into bankruptcy???? Because we are SICK !!! We are addicted to food or swallowing as much as the addicts are addicted to heroin, crack......... whatever. We will do it no matter what, like the addict spending there family food money on drugs. My sister who had a lap-ban installed last year went into a deep depression and finely into a nervous break down because she could not eat anymore. It was not the being fat, it was the act of eating & swollowing large amounts of food that she craved, the fat is a side effect of the pleasure we seek. The act of eating is how we cope with life and all it's ups and downs, it's how we deal with our joy's and our sorrow's. We devoeloped this habit by not dealing with our feelings and emosions and wanting to hide them, so we eat, and eat, and eat, till we feel better and fill that hole in our soul. I have been dealing with my 500 + lbs for years, and have lost over 1500 lbs in the last 20 years and have learned the hard way it's an inside job. As you said (Photo Nut) that the Ban is only a tool, and a way to help us not over eat. It's not the answer, we have to find some kind of help for the fact we are on a death mission, and don't feel we deserve to be happy. It's taken me a long time to get this far (I am 53 today) and I am not there yet. I still overeat (as much as the band will allow me to) and I need a fill and I balk at getting it, I have been 350 + lbs for 3 years now and am losing so slow it drives me crazy. I want to be normal so bad I can taste it, but...... do I go get a fill???? Noooooo, I wait, and wait because I still want to be able to eat a full meal at diner, and eat a full sandwich. I know I have a ways to go, but I am on the right track and I am not fooling myself that this is the magic cure. I'm an enlightened FAT person, and I know how I got here and what I use my eating for. I know some people have a gland problems, and that kind of stuff, but......... on the whole it's us compulsive overeaters that really fill up these threads. Thank you so much for this thread, I think it was great and I hope to hear more. Peace. Butch