Here is why I was fat:

Unhappy, stressed out, anger problems, anxiety problems, depression, miserable marriage, boredom, low self-esteem, drank too much diet soda, made poor food choices (late at night especially!).

I thought that the band would be the answer. I only lost 20 pounds because of the band. At my highest..my weight was about 328.

How did I lose more????

Well..and you might not like this answer.....

I stopped drinking diet soda, I stopped eating after 8 at night, I got more exercise, I changed my depression medication, I got therapy, I cheated on my spouse and eventually figured out we weren't meant to be together from the very start!, I stopped caring what everyone thought of me all the time, I took better care of my appearance, and .....

It has little to do with the band. It has everything to do with things I could have done without getting the band.

Now, I have to drink Water with every meal because if I don't the food gets stuck. Now, I have scars all over my tummy. Now, I realize that I put hope into something which was misdirected.

It's been 7 years since I had the surgery, and about that long since I've had a fill or seen the band doctor. I wish someone was on this board and told me that the answer wasn't in a surgery. That the answer had everything to do with me taking responsibility and owning my unhappiness and coping with it..(even if some of the ways were destructive) I began to cope. But this surgery--wasn't the answer. I wish it was. If it was the answer I would be at my goal weight now. I still have a ways to go. I lost only 20 pounds with the surgery in the first year and was at a standstill. Then, I began to deal with my issues. And, I lost about 60 more. I want to lose more..but I have a ways to go at dealing with all of the stuff I have.

I know that there will be some of you out there who don't agree with this post. But, I don't care. It's what I see as the truth for me. The band wasn't worth it. Look-if you are way fat like I was..here is what I say. Start with therapy. Get involved in groups. Meet people who will help you get outside of your comfort zone and will challenge you to be the best you can be. Get away from the people who want you to be fat forever. Do this before you get the surgery. Try that first.

If someone tells you you are fat and they want to help you...don't cry and think how mean they are. They probably really want to help you.

ok, I said what I needed to say.

I agree with about 99% of what you say. I don't think MY band was a bad decision, but I totally agree that weight loss, even with this band, is so highly dependent on what you do/think, not on this piece of silicone wrapped around my stomach.

We all know that those things are necessary for success but for some of us we needed more. I'm glad that you are getting your demons under control. For you it worked. What works for one person won't necessarily work for another. For me, it didn't. The band was NOT the answer to my demons. It was simply a part of the equation. You've lost 80 pounds in 7 years. Good for you. I've lost 145 in 3. Good for me. If we were both thrown back into the stressful situations that led to our obesity in the first place I know I would be able to avoid returning there. Can you say the same?

I also thought that the band would be more helpful than it has been thusfar but I realize now that I have to accept responsibility and put in the work with the band. Maybe I"m just not understanding how this band is supposed to help when I figure that out more weight will be lost.

Here is why I was fat:

Unhappy, stressed out, anger problems, anxiety problems, depression, miserable marriage, boredom, low self-esteem, drank too much diet soda, made poor food choices (late at night especially!).

I thought that the band would be the answer. I only lost 20 pounds because of the band. At my highest..my weight was about 328.

How did I lose more????

Well..and you might not like this answer.....

I stopped drinking diet soda, I stopped eating after 8 at night, I got more exercise, I changed my depression medication, I got therapy, I cheated on my spouse and eventually figured out we weren't meant to be together from the very start!, I stopped caring what everyone thought of me all the time, I took better care of my appearance, and .....

It has little to do with the band. It has everything to do with things I could have done without getting the band.

Now, I have to drink Water with every meal because if I don't the food gets stuck. Now, I have scars all over my tummy. Now, I realize that I put hope into something which was misdirected.

It's been 7 years since I had the surgery, and about that long since I've had a fill or seen the band doctor. I wish someone was on this board and told me that the answer wasn't in a surgery. That the answer had everything to do with me taking responsibility and owning my unhappiness and coping with it..(even if some of the ways were destructive) I began to cope. But this surgery--wasn't the answer. I wish it was. If it was the answer I would be at my goal weight now. I still have a ways to go. I lost only 20 pounds with the surgery in the first year and was at a standstill. Then, I began to deal with my issues. And, I lost about 60 more. I want to lose more..but I have a ways to go at dealing with all of the stuff I have.

I know that there will be some of you out there who don't agree with this post. But, I don't care. It's what I see as the truth for me. The band wasn't worth it. Look-if you are way fat like I was..here is what I say. Start with therapy. Get involved in groups. Meet people who will help you get outside of your comfort zone and will challenge you to be the best you can be. Get away from the people who want you to be fat forever. Do this before you get the surgery. Try that first.

If someone tells you you are fat and they want to help you...don't cry and think how mean they are. They probably really want to help you.

ok, I said what I needed to say.

I'm happy to hear you've managed to resolve your issues, and that you seem to be generally content these days. In your case, the band may not have been the answer you needed. As has been discussed here many times, the band is not a magic bullet - it's a tool to assist in your weight loss. People who have an expectation that the band will solve their bigger life problems are generally going to be disappointed when things don't go as they expect. Just as the band won't stop someone from overeating or eating badly, there is a certain amount of responsibility the person needs to take for management of their day-to-day banded life.

I've said any number of times that the band is not for everyone. I happen to be someone for whom the band WAS the right choice. But I didn't have other crises in my life that required a separate amount of work to resolve. I just needed help wth managing my food intake. The rest has taken care of itself. I've had what I consider outstanding success with my band, and I'm delighted to have had the surgery.

Going forward, i wish you nothing but a lifetime of happiness. Life sucks sometimes, but it sounds like you've gotten yours sorted out.

Good luck!

Dave

I agree with Dave. For you..the band wasn't the answer or part of the equation. For me, it is going to be everything I needed. I still have to watch what I put in my mouth, I still have to exercise, but now I have a constant reminder. I needed the extra boost. After at least 40 years fighting my weight, I needed the help the band is giving me. I hope all that you have done helps you keep losing and happy.

This is why I have no real regrets with waiting as long as I did to have my band placed.

I was ready in all 3 areas.. not just physically, but also emotionally and mentally.

With all 3 puzzle pieces in place (not that they all fit perfectly.. still a work in progress), it was MUCH easier to get the weight off. I'm now learning how to KEEP the weight off.

I am glad you are on the right track now! Congrats! Are you planning on getting the band out since it's not helping you? Do you believe the band assisted in you not getting any bigger over those 7 years? The band gets no credit at all?

We all know that those things are necessary for success but for some of us we needed more. I'm glad that you are getting your demons under control. For you it worked. What works for one person won't necessarily work for another. For me, it didn't. The band was NOT the answer to my demons. It was simply a part of the equation. You've lost 80 pounds in 7 years. Good for you. I've lost 145 in 3. Good for me. If we were both thrown back into the stressful situations that led to our obesity in the first place I know I would be able to avoid returning there. Can you say the same?

I agree CindyC. The band IS only part of the equation. Thank you for putting it so eloquently. Personally, it somehow makes everything else a bit easier to manage. Getting a handle on one aspect of the reason I was overweight made it easier to tackle the others. Not effortless by any means, just easier.

I don't disagree with your post. In fact, as I move further along in my own journey, I have found that my weight lost depends on me. If I make a bad choice or have a bad day, it is my responsibility to change. The band keeps me full longer...and helps me become aware of when I am full. It is not a magic wand. I still get depressed, unhappy and angry with myself. I am glad to have this tool that helps me stay on track. I do not regret getting the band (at least not at this point in my journey).

Good luck in your continued journey!!

I agree also but maybe the band was a catalyst that helped this change. Now after 2 months of being banded I realize I had everything I needed to really lose the weight inside of me. However, it was the year long pre surgery process and the actually surgery itself that helped this awaken in my brain for some reason. Although I feel I could have done it with out the band, I am grateful that I got the band. I don't expect it to do the work for me. I won't stop me from eating crap. Only I do that. It won't force me to work out. Only I do that. So no matter what, no matter how the band works for you or if it does at all, you made the change and maybe, just maybe, the surgery helped that change. I know it has with me.

When I investigated the band option, I had to understand that it is a tool not a silver bullet. If I wasn't using the tool correctly, it would not help me. Like using a hammer to drive in a screw, if I don't use the tool properly it won't work.

I think you do have to be ready for all three elements to work together or fail individually. Every day is a new opportunity for success or failure, and it's up to each person to make the right decision. I look at the band as I have never been able to look at other "help" - when someone else hinted that I had had enough, I stuffed my face a little more just to prove that I would be making the decisions. The band helps me by reminding me that I am, in fact, full and need to stop eating. It doesn't turn off my mental urges to want MORE MORE MORE but it's a more physical reminder that I never had before. It's my tool, I'll work with it. And try to make the right decisions every day.

I wish everyone the best of luck with their decisions, banded or not.

You know..I was thinking about this since yesterday. I was thinking about how I do eat less than I did...and I'm not really so certain it's about the band (because I drink Water when I eat) but it's more about the actual choices I make. I need to stuff my face less. I don't need to buy the fast food for lunch ( I go to the health food store instead). I choose to drink water instead of soda. I have the opinion that stopping my intake of the diet soda had a lot to do with this too. I was pretty much addicted to it..and drank a lot per day. I digress..

I suppose if I didn't drink water with my band I would get fuller faster..like in seconds. But, if I don't drink water--it feels uncomfortable and dry going down..and gets stuck. That is such an uncomfortable experience for me because I have had food stuck a lot. Reading all of your replies to my post, and seeing your weight loss on your tickers..well..it made me consider this. Maybe I'm not using my tool the correct way. I mean..I still think that it has a lot to do with where I am at emotionally as compared to before..but my not losing even more weight could be because of not eating moist enough foods, and drinking water with meals.

Has anyone else had that discomfort..I just hate running to vomit after one bite of food.

Can anyone help?

Here is why I was fat:

I was/am an emotional eater. I ate when I was: happy, sad, angry, excited, depressed, tired, sick, lonely, frustrated, bored, unhappy, etc.

I thought the band was the answer for ME. IT IS!!!!

I have been in therapy on and off for more than 30 years about my weight and other issues. I knew what I needed to do to lose weight ... I just couldn't seem to get it done ... until I got banded! Now I eat healthy (mostly), I walk 3+ miles every morning before work (never thought THAT would happen ... but I LOVE it), and because of the way the band works for me, I don't overeat when I am emotional. Bottom line here: Different strokes for different folks.

I am honestly happy that you have conquered your demons and lost weight without the help of the band. Good for you!

As for me, I'll keep my band ... it's workin' for me. And you know what they say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

All the best to you on life's journey.

~Fran

You know..I was thinking about this since yesterday. I was thinking about how I do eat less than I did...and I'm not really so certain it's about the band (because I drink Water when I eat) but it's more about the actual choices I make. I need to stuff my face less. I don't need to buy the fast food for lunch ( I go to the health food store instead). I choose to drink water instead of soda. I have the opinion that stopping my intake of the diet soda had a lot to do with this too. I was pretty much addicted to it..and drank a lot per day. I digress..

I suppose if I didn't drink water with my band I would get fuller faster..like in seconds. But, if I don't drink water--it feels uncomfortable and dry going down..and gets stuck. That is such an uncomfortable experience for me because I have had food stuck a lot. Reading all of your replies to my post, and seeing your weight loss on your tickers..well..it made me consider this. Maybe I'm not using my tool the correct way. I mean..I still think that it has a lot to do with where I am at emotionally as compared to before..but my not losing even more weight could be because of not eating moist enough foods, and drinking water with meals.

Has anyone else had that discomfort..I just hate running to vomit after one bite of food.

Can anyone help?

It sounds to me that you may be a bit too tight - you shouldn't be getting stuck that often unless you are taking bites that are too big or are not chewing enough. My suggestion would be to go on liquids for a day or two to reduce any swelling that may be present from the frequent stuck episodes and then go back to the bandster basics (small bites, chewing thoroughly, no drinks during or for 30 minutes after a meal). If you find you are still getting stuck, go in for a small unfill to see if that helps.

Like everyone else said, you have to use the tool correctly in order to get the best results. I'm glad you have worked through your other issues...I know from experience that doing that goes a long way towards putting you in the right mindset to be able to get the most out of this journey.

Good luck to you!

I agree- sounds like you're too tight. I've never had anything get stuck. If I was puking every time I ate, or I had to wash all my food down... well I'd be pretty pissed. Are you able to get to your surgeon for a very small un-fill?