so the weight is coming back on.

i did good from the time of surgery up until july of 2010 [i had it november 2009] i had lost a total of about 100 lbs. went from 360 to 260. then something changed. my band wasnt working anymore. thought i had a leak, but did an exray test thingy and showed no leak. i got married in october 2010 so my insurance changed and i havent found a new dr, so i havent had a fill since october 2010, which didnt work anyways. im gaining ALL the weight back. im beyond depressed and angry at myself. i know i dont exercise, and i know i dont eat right. my old eating habits came back, since i barely have any restriction. my addiction to food is insane i must say. and my unhealthy ways i used to lose weight are starting to creep up into my head. i cant get back to the weight i was, i cant. i think im at 305 now. i NEED help.

It sounds like you HAVE to make finding a new doc a priority, even if it requires a lot of effort/travel/money out of your own pocket. This surgery just absolutely requires maintenance and tweaking to work and you can't do those things without a doc. I'm sorry you're experiencing this, but I have seen people around these boards who have a similar story who do get back on track and lose the gained weight + more once they start following through with the rules.

Good luck!

Congrats on your marriage!

Have you thought about working with a therapist to help with the addiction issues?

My suggestions for getting back in control:

Take it slow, baby steps.

First find yourself a band doctor and get things checked. Get a fill if that is what you need.

Set small goals. Pick parts of what I have below and implement them slowly. Changing our lives in one big swoop can be overwhelming. These need to be changes that we can live with forever.

Start back with your band rules of eating. Solid Protein, small bites, veggie side dishes, starches if you have room. No liquids with food. No liquid calories. Try not to eat highly processed foods (i.e. junk food) as they tend to slide through the band and do not sustain you for long. Don't eat between meals.

Drink 8 glasses of Water per day.

Exercise? Yeah, I hate it. Start slow. Walk up and down your block for 5 minutes. Park farther away than you usually do. When you go to the mall take a lap around before beginning your shopping. Adding activity into your life doesn't have to be major workouts.

You CAN do this!

I'm so sorry to hear that you have had a relapse. But, you've got to look at it as just that, a relapse. Get your self back up and start again. You have already proven you can do this once! Do it again. Start by finding a doctor. I know what it is like to have a change in insurance as I had a slight one. My husband retired from the military and we are overseas. Military clinics do not do the band (I had mine done by a German doctor). I have to pay 25% now when EVERYTHING was free at first. I paid $0.00 for my band. No co-pay, NOTHING! Now, paying 25% can be a hefty amount. I have to pay 25% for fills. But...this is the best money I can spend for MYSELF! Find yourself a doctor!!!

Get back to the band rules you already know! Follow them and commit to yourself to improve yourself. You are worth it! Don't let yourself just go to the dumps! You've worked too hard to throw it all away. The longer you wait the more difficult it is. So, get back on the bandwagon. There is room for you here! Don't beat yoursefl up as we've all had setbacks. You are normal!

Welcome aboard, again!

You need to stop going over and over and over what is going wrong and get your butt back into the doctor's office. End of story. Get up and do it. Taking a positive action always makes you feel better.

I'm in the same boat my band was really tight for a long time so i wasn't really eating anything, So i got a unfill and when from not eating to able to eat anything i wanted. Today a new day and i'm going to get back with the band rules!

You can get back on the bandwagon (pardon the pun)! I know that Doctor might seem expensive, but this is your health and future! One suggestion might be if you are thinking about spending extra money on extra food that you don't need, put that money in a jar, and use it to save up for a fill.

Also, you CAN exercise. Susan Powter always said, if you can move your arm up and down, you can exercise, even if it's just a little bit! Every single step, and every single pound is you WINNING!

The best thing you can do is stop getting down on yourself, and take baby steps; work back up to what you had before. You may have gained some weight back, but you didn't gain it all back, and you've taken the first step, which is recognizing that you need to change.

I think that if you did it before, you probably have it in you to do it again!!! Good luck!