Okay Little did I know that I would have to diet my whole life....I thought that Weight Loss Surgery was my way out.. sorta speak... Okay the band is GREAT I am not complaining... even though I have had problems...

But hear me out...

We diet over and over again... and what.. we get the band.. and then what it cures us??? I dont get it... are we all afraid of what we will do to our bands, and that if we "eat right" Its like we will be ok... its like a life long diet anyway... Why cant we do this all along.... The Band Helps us control how much we eat.. but still we can eat junk and junk and more junk... we need to learn to eat right and in the right amount.....

Well it seems like a BIG diet plan to me..

Sometimes I love my band, and sometimes I think I should of joined Jenny Craig.. heck Kristie Allie lost as much as I have and I have been trying longer, or been on the BAND longer...in my case.... So many on here are trying diets after diets... " The Cereal diet, Nurtisystem, Weightwatchers..... What is WLS for anyway.... to make us STICK to a diet... because we are all losers and can never stick to one on our own????

So many times I wish I was just be Anorexia or Bulimia... maybe then I will lose the weight... I am really trying...

I had my leak... and no matter what fill I get nothing seems to help... I still have massive pain im my stomach area where the scare tissue was found and I belive I will live with that all my life... and now I starting to belive I will be FAT forever living with that pain.....

Sorry this was so long... I just had to let it out... I know not much of you will reply and I dont care... Im here for support, and who gives the support is what matters even if it one or two people... So thank you to anyone who took the time to listen (read) what I had to say........

Tonight is a bad night for me and I guess Im just feeling sorry for myself... I should go to bed and I will feel better by morning...

Again Thanks Love ya all!!!!!!!!

I'm sorry you've had so much trouble with your band.

As to dieting - well you have to remember, part of the disease of obesity is that what you call a diet, normal weight people call normal eating.

Yes, you have to change your eating habits forever, there's no way round that. Heck I usually eat more than my SIL when I'm dieting. She's tiny. So if you want to look at it that way, yes you're on a diet forever.

After the first part of your weight has come off it usually slows down. The body pretty much adapts to anything. So many people will find it necessarily to mentally keep an eye on their calorie intake, and formal diet plans are one way to do this.

Sadly, there is just no way you can eat what you like, when you like, in te quantity you like and stay at a normal weight. Not even thin people can get away with that.

Awwww Trish, sorry you are still having pain. Hopefully when you drop a few more pounds the pain will vanish!:confused:

As far as diets go, I don't diet with my band. I eat normal foods, just smaller amounts because the band allows me to do that. I spent most of my life on diets and they just don't work for me. Yeah, I can lose on a diet, but as soon as I eat normal food again, the weight comes back. So, I don't do it, if I eat normally all my life I don't have to change the way I eat. I eat exactly what I want, and if I want a sweet, I just have a few bites or something. I might not break records of weight loss, but I'm not trying to. I am not deprived of anything and I am still losing weight. Our bodies don't say that cookie is going to make you fat, we say that. It really boils down to the old calories in/calories out. If you eat one cookie instead of a full meal your body doesn't know that as far as calories. Just use your head, watch your portions, get your exercise in and you will be fine. That is just my opinion!

Trish... I feel really bad that you are so down...

BUT... didn't your Dr. tell you that if you want to lose weight you are going to have to eat right? My Dr. told us at the seminar that this wasn't a "Quick, Miracle" cure... If that was the case every obese person in the US would be signing up for loans.

I know better than anyone how hard it is to stay away from junk, but if I can do it, so can you!!!

I read about a lot of people posting here saying that one little bite won't hurt and a lot of folks don't deny themselves of anything... Well, I am NOT that strong!!! I just COMPLETELY keep it away from me or I will consume it all.

I hope you are feeling better now, and I know you can do it... we all can!!!

(just went back and read ILuvHarleys post... now she is a strong woman that can take a few bites!!! Look at all the weight she has lost and how great she looks!!!)

I hope you will consider the following as support; it's meant to be. I know the physical pain you have is something that is just "there." But the emotional pain is something you might consider changing. My suggestion is that you change the way you THINK. Like Jachut said, "dieting" is a term we made up to mean "deprive." Normal weight people do not think like that. WE think like that. WE think WLS is "cheating" instead of a tool that we have chosen to use to help us solve our food problems. The key is to know yourself. Some can have a few bites, some can't. Some like to follow a structured eating plan, some don't. Who are you? What makes you tick? Figure it out, and map out a plan that is right for you. Don't wait on the magic bullet. Like the Good Witch in Wizard of Oz said, "You've had the power all along." (or something like that...)

Good luck, Cindy

I just eat much healthier than I ever have in my life. I do count my calories and plan my meals. I just make better decisions that way. I cook for my family the same as I always have...I just eat alot less than I used to and I measure whatever I eat. I feel like my band has given me the willpower to make much better decisions for myself. Am I perfect about it...hell no...yesterday I had a meltdown and manage to eat my way through 1600 calories that included chocolate and poppycock...got on the scale this morning and I have lost a pound...go figure...lol. Trish I hope you discover what works with you and your band. *huggs*

Trish: You are being too hard on yourself. I am new to this group and try and get on everyday to help lift my own spirits. I am waiting for my approval from my insurance. My weight has been a struggle for me all my life and I understand how you feel about "why can't we be accountable to ourselves?" I feel like the band is a tool to help me be accountable. Not a cure. Just keep up the good work you've started. You have already taken the first steps to help yourself. Look ahead, not back. Everyday start out fresh and just work one day at a time. Slow is better than not at all! Hang in there!

One of my favorite sayings is that courage doesn't always roar...sometimes it is a quiet voice at the end of the day saying I will try again tomorrow. That's applicable to us, I think. I know we don't always do exactly as we're supposed to, but we just dust ourselves off and try again tomorrow to do better.

Emily

courage doesn't always roar...sometimes it is a quiet voice at the end of the day saying I will try again tomorrow.

Wow. I had to write that one down.......

I hope your spirits go back up, it sounds like you are having the blues right at this moment, but don't worry you will be fine, just look at all the weight you have already lost. You are doing good, sometimes it just takes someone else to point it out to you. As far as the band and the dieting involved hey its well worth it but don't forget you can allow your self a small treat now and then so that you don't feel deprived. Hope this helps, you can pm me if you need to let steam out again or you just feel like chatting.

I'd give you some sage advice - but I don't have any. This is one you are just going to have to work through on your own.

I will be standing by to hold your hand, kick your butt, or listen to you rant - whatever you need.

Hugs!!

Trish, I *tried* to reply to you earlier, but LBT must have been on the blink around noon time today... ???

Here is a BIG (((hug))) for a well deserved moment of being discouraged. You must realize that this tool you received hasnt worked correctly for quite a while - so your level of weightloss while being banded isnt accurate.

Yes, its frustrating, but youve lost 47 pounds (and you thought noone noticed you were in TWOdor-ville, woo hoo!!!). And you did this basically on your own! Lets see whats gonna happen with good restriction!

Oh, and think about this, you weigh less then you did a year ago. Thats something to smile about.

With Stinky Leaky fixed, youre on the right track now, Baby!!! LOOK OUT!

...Oh, and Im like Betty. I eat anything and everything. Just much less of it.

Trish, I am soo sorry that you are not having an easy time right now. If you want to talk PM me and I will give you my number, I am here 24/7 if you need a shoulder to cry on or someone to listen to you scream, cry whatever you need. I am having a hard time in my life, but I am lucky my band is doing pretty good right now. I am one of the ones that eat pretty much whatever I want just MUCH smaller amounts. I avoid bread, rice, pasta and tons of sugar, but I just had 1 cookie. 1 not 15 like I would have before. Again, I am here if you need me. ~Mandy

I sent you an email!!! ((((HUGS)))) Hang in there!!!

Trish I feel ya girlfriend. I think when you are our weight to begin with (I am talking the MEGA DIVA'S who are 300lbs and above) it is hard. I know I had dreams of how much smaller I would be 6 months out of surgery. I figured I would have lost about 60lbs well I am at 40lbs gone and I am a little upset. Then I think about it and say man I used to weigh 345lbs at the beginning of 2005 and then I lost 9lbs when I decided to have the surgery. I am now 40lbs down plus or minus 5lbs but at least I am not where I used to be. I don't like the fact of DIETING but I do try and watch out for the bad stuff. The great part about the band is when you do eat the wrong things you cannot over do it like you used to. I can only eat 5 hot wings whereas before the band I could eat 20. I can only eat 1 slice of cheesecake where as before I could eat a whole frozen sara lee cheesecake in one sitting. Think of it like that. I know you can work this band thing out physically but you have to get it in your head that you are not DIETING you are just making better choices. Go ahead have a little something something every now and then just not everyday. I am here for you and I noticed you took your avatar down. I think you are beautiful so put that picture back up and let's do the dang thang!! I am here for you.

DEEDEE( SPokesperson for the MEGA DIVAS!!! LOL)

Thanks everyone!

Paula- yeah I got that Stinky Leak fix but it doesnt seem to be working I have a 2cc fill in which I dont think that matters either way I can still eat a lot... sometimes very rare I get were I cant eat much at all and I like that feeling...

I am in constant pain in my ab area.. (where the scar tissue was) It hurts so bad sometimes I want to cry... even when my shirt moves on my skin it hurts I wake up in the middle of the night with a feeling as though I am being stabed.... I have been having this pain since I got banded... Im so sick of it you just dont know... I thought when he went in there this last time and clean that crap out it would be better but its not.. my port finally healed but this pain just dont go away!

Yeah I lost 47 punds.. but bah!!!!! it dont matter I cant even tell a diffrence I still wear my size 32's I can wear 30's and maybe squeeze into 28's...

Okay see here I am feeling sorry for myself... I need to STOP!!!

and yes Rene you can kick my butt any time... its not hard to find LOL

Maybe I just need to call my Dr. and really talk to him.. let him know Im getting down about this whole band thing... it doesnt seem to be working with me... or is it me not working with it....

Well again thanks for listening to me blab off...