Well here is my story and if you have just had or are thinking about having a band you should read this. I am a 37 year old man from uk. I am 5-7 and I weighted 276 pounds. I had surgery on 27th September 2010, I had diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol. I am now 181 pounds and am free of medical conditions now. It has been a hard journey, most of my weight loss was in first five months but my body shape continues to change for the better, I have not done much exercise but I am more active in my daily life. The main thing I want to talk about is that magic word - restriction. I have always felt disappointed with the restriction but I feel that you get used to feeling restricted and your eating habits change to the point where you don't remember how you felt about eating pre band. I have never really been unable to eat particular so called band unfriendly food and my eating felt different day to day which is frustrating. I had my last fill about a week ago, which was my 6th visit to my doctor, and I feel I am finally in the green zone, I hope it lasts so I can finally shift the last 12 pounds and complete my weight loss. I have read this forum over the past year and couldn't understand why some people couldn't eat certain foods whilst I could still eat almost anything. As everyone says on here it is still a diet and you have to stick with it till the band starts doing it's job, you may be luck and get there on first few visits or it may take longer and now I am almost 11months out I am happy that it has taken this long as my body has had time to lose the weight that took so many years to put on. I still love food, I am a chef, and I will always have an addiction to it but I know the band has and will always help me not to overeat and I am so grateful for that. If anyone has any questions I will keep checking this thread over next few days and I will try to answer them. The band is a fantastic tool in helping you eat less so if you are thinking of having one then do and if you have one and feel disappointed with it then stick with it, it takes time to get to the green zone, but use the time it takes to get there by improving your eating habits - good luck all!

Well here is my story and if you have just had or are thinking about having a band you should read this. I am a 37 year old man from uk. I am 5-7 and I weighted 276 pounds. I had surgery on 27th September 2010, I had diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol. I am now 181 pounds and am free of medical conditions now. It has been a hard journey, most of my weight loss was in first five months but my body shape continues to change for the better, I have not done much exercise but I am more active in my daily life. The main thing I want to talk about is that magic word - restriction. I have always felt disappointed with the restriction but I feel that you get used to feeling restricted and your eating habits change to the point where you don't remember how you felt about eating pre band. I have never really been unable to eat particular so called band unfriendly food and my eating felt different day to day which is frustrating. I had my last fill about a week ago, which was my 6th visit to my doctor, and I feel I am finally in the green zone, I hope it lasts so I can finally shift the last 12 pounds and complete my weight loss. I have read this forum over the past year and couldn't understand why some people couldn't eat certain foods whilst I could still eat almost anything. As everyone says on here it is still a diet and you have to stick with it till the band starts doing it's job, you may be luck and get there on first few visits or it may take longer and now I am almost 11months out I am happy that it has taken this long as my body has had time to lose the weight that took so many years to put on. I still love food, I am a chef, and I will always have an addiction to it but I know the band has and will always help me not to overeat and I am so grateful for that. If anyone has any questions I will keep checking this thread over next few days and I will try to answer them. The band is a fantastic tool in helping you eat less so if you are thinking of having one then do and if you have one and feel disappointed with it then stick with it, it takes time to get to the green zone, but use the time it takes to get there by improving your eating habits - good luck all!

hi there i am abut 9 months out had one adjustment right after surgery.......one needed but now i feel no restriction......i have gained about 8 lbs my edocriologist says its because my sugars are better and when sugars was high sugar was spilling into urine and therefore calories were passing into commaode and now that sugar is great....calories are being retained more..so she feels weight will start coming back down but i just ate way too much foood.....so i am thinkig time for a fill .....lord knows i dont wanna go back up......i have lost 70 lbs and still have about 60 to go......i need any encouagement i can get.....thanks......

I was the same pre band with my sugar, I though I could eat whatever I wanted as I seemed to stop gaining weigh but a lot of my sugars were not being absorbed, my surgeon said to me on my last visit that after I reach goal weight I still need to visit him when the retraction fades maybe every sox months to keep me topped up so I don't regain inn the future - the thing about losing is you have to reach your goal or you will forever feel that you are depriving yourself and will stay on an up and down diet which isn't good for body and soul, just think from today that you will put your best effort in for a month and try and lose another 20 lbs and then take a step back and you will soon be even closer to your goal- good luck you can do it you have already come a long way, but to me the journey isn't over till you get to your goal, you will not be happy till you get there! By Xmas you could easily be there, just think how you will feel at Christmas if you haven't got there and loo back to this date and know that you could have done it

Thank you for the information.... I am going to be banded on August 23rd. I am nervous to say the least and I hope it works. I am going to work with it like you said.

Your post is awesome and very helpful to me! I have also been able to eat whatever I wanted except for french fries...which seems a little odd to me.. One bite of a french frie and up it will come..therefore; I don't.

Bread, steak, etc., I have no problem with. Since I have never "felt" restriction, I can eat as much as I want. Before I had the Lapband I never felt full and would overeat. Now that I have the Lapband I am giving up on feeling "full" and I am starting over by measuring everything I eat and using the journal on My LapBand Journey.

At the moment, I have no restriction and I will see my surgeon this Wednesday. I have gained weight and I do not want to face him. The problem is that I want to lose and I will have to walk into his office and see everyone there that is so willing to help.

My doctor tells me the band is only a tool. It is up to me how I use it and it is up to him and his staff to help me be successful.

So now I remember the saying:

If it is to be, it is up to me

Good luck it will make your life better

Good afternoon I am hooked on this site . I came here a long while back and I coouldnt get into it but yesterday i decided it was time to visit. And here I am all that have posted here are very encourging.So I will work harder till I return to my surgeon in Sept. in the meantime I will struggle thru cause I CAN do this and oh wow the thought of reaching goal by Christmas would be a great gift to ME!!!!!!