Hello Everyone,

I was banded July 27, 2009. I've lost 135 lbs. I found a wealth of information on this website and was given so much support from the forums. I'd like to give back. I'll be happy to answer any questions you have about what's it's like to have a band. It's been a wonderful experience but it's hard work. Losing weight is never easy and there is no free ride or golden ticket out of obesity. I'll do my best to answer any and everything you throw at me.

Maggie

Hi Maggie- I have heard so much talk about 'eating around the band' how do you avoid it, 'not' do it, get past the old behaviors/mindset?

How do you avoid the fear of failure?

i

My current self would tell my preband self not to worry so much about every little thing. The weight will come off (for me it was slowly) and when I get to maintenance I wont even remember every little bite of food and every little scale fluctuation! I will fall into a lifestyle and just live my life!

Hi Maggie- I have heard so much talk about 'eating around the band' how do you avoid it, 'not' do it, get past the old behaviors/mindset?

How do you avoid the fear of failure?

i

Pendulum,

It's hard to not eat around it. Unfortunately, the human mind is always working for ways around things. I had figured out how to cheat my band before I had the stitches out. It takes a long time to get a new mind set not to do it. There are days that I do still do it but fortunately, not every day. I think about how much I've been through, and how much work I've done to lose this much weight. All the mornings of getting up before work and hitting the gym. The financial, emotional and physical cost of it all and I try to remember what it was like getting the loan to do this. And I think about my dear friend Cathy. Cathy died of breast cancer. As I was working on lining up having the Lap Band done, she was losing her battle. She was part of how I got past the fear of failure. I saw her and heard her saying how she would give anything ANYTHING to be able to see her son graduate from high school and grow old with her husband. She would have given anything for a second chance at life and here I was sitting on one and afraid to try for it. She gave me the courage to move forward. I never take for granted this gift of a second life. I know from watching her lose that chance how precious it is and I try to live up to it for her sake is not my own.

I hope that helps,

Maggie

Wow Maggie,

You are an inspiration! I am in pre decision jitter mode. I just weighed myself and have somehow gained another 12lbs. in a month of total stress. I am now 282 on a 5'3'' frame - I cant walk without pain and am losing time with my kids while they are small because I am too tired to play with them.

I am turning 40 in February and always thought I would beat the weight by now.

I am decided to band myself but have some questions that maybe you can help with.

How quickly did the post surgery pain go away where I can go back to work without telling people about the surgery? I would like to keep it a secret as Im sure you have experienced that most people are preoccupied with your weight and like to talk about it even when they are not invited to. I am telling my immediate family and close friends and that is it. I was planning to take a week off - is that enough time?

Also what kind of band do you have? Have you had any complications that required more surgery?

Thank you for discussing slippage - I am very afraid of that.

I think thats it for now... ANy questions to ask the surgeons before I chose where to have the procedure? Im in Canada so Insurance does not cover this and I am paying out of pocket.

Thank you so much for opening up to all of us!!!!

Momee3021