Is it just me sometimes wishing that I could just live a normal life without frequently thinking about or being reminded that I have a band around my stomach? Don't get me wrong my band has saved my life and I'm very pleased with the band and hope I can keep it for a long, long time and I also knew it would be a huge life changing decision, however, reminders occur daily. The normal reminders of how a bandster eats and the consequences for not sticking to the rules are daily, but, then there are reminders from friends, family that have not seen you in awhile and first thing they'll say is "you've lost weight, you look so different and how did you do it", then you have to decide do I tell them or not. Honestly, it gets old sometimes, then other times I very much welcome questions and compliments.

I'm a little over a year into this and I'm curious for those have been banded longer. Do we eventually stop thinking about it so much and go on with a normal life? Maybe it is just me, the anxious person that I am, but, I'm curious if this will be the norm and also what others say or thnk. Your input would be appreciated. Jake

I never have. I think about food, my band, my weight all the time. And i was very successful with the band, lost over 100 lb down to a bmi of 20 and have been below goal weight for about four years now. But its never helped me. I still think im fat, i still cycle between restrictive eating and a bandster version of overeating, i dont think it will ever go away.

Jachut,

Going off the subject a little bit, I just wanted to thank you for all your input to these forums. Your williingness to help others is very much appreciated. Many of your posts have really helped and encouraged me. Your awesome testimony makes you one of my heros. jake

Wow, glad to be of service :-)

Typically, I do not think about thre band at all!

I get up in the morning, go to work everyday.

I'll sit in front of the TV and snack on different foods like chips and Salsa.

Nothing holds be back ot restricts my activities because I am banded.

What does happen from time to time, my band will give me feedback such as when I take a too big a swallow, or try to gulp my drink down, or try to eat one of my forbidden foods. But that has become routine, and very natural way of life.

And of course, coming here to read and post everyday keeps you in the middle of it all. That's got to stop sooner or later!

I'm coming up on my one year, very close to my goal, and have been comfortably in the Green Zone for last 6-8 months where there is no struggle living with the band.It's as though I had my wisdom teeth pulled out a few years back.

I sometime think that perhaps soon I will have no need to log onto this website anymore.

Thanks B-52,

Let me explain. By nature, I worry alot, especially my health, tis why I did this surgery. A few months post-op on my journey I did have one complication that sent me back to surgery a second time. A few months after surgery I started dealing with a suroma on one of my incisions. The suroma was drained several times and after the second time my port tubing broke thru the skin and I had 3 inches of the tubing sticking out of my belly. When I called the doc that night I was instructed to place a bandage on it and report to the OR in the morning. I took pictures of it and have a reminder of the scary event. Anyhow, the next day I reported to the OR and doc also discovered that the stitches had all broken off and the port had completely dislodged. Doc put me under and had to create two more large incisions to move the port to the other side of my belly. Because the tubing had been exposed the second surgery lasted 2 hours long with the port being attached and the disinfect proceedure. Recovery for this surgery was much worse that the first, thus, I'm terrified of other complications.

Your reply has helped me come upon a realization. I need to not come onto this website as often as I do. When I read about slippage, erosions etc. etc., I start to dwell on the negative. I need to get on with my life and come what may, I will cross that bridge when and if I come upon it. It's funny that I've given that advice to others and it's finally sinking in with me. Thanks again. Jake

Maybe me saying I don't think about it is not the right term.

It becomes part of you and you learn to live with it. Almost take it for granted.

And you're right. It has been discussed many times that this website can be very negative.

But there are many, many people who have never had a problem, love thei band, feel it is the best decision they ever made.

At first (the first year or so) the band and all that goes with it were on my mind 24/7. Over time it has been getting much better for me. I now don't obcess over it. A few years before I got the band I mastered keeping my stress level low. Of course life happens and the stress comes, but in general, I try to keep stress out of my life. This is why I do not count calories or track anything else with the band. I keep a good fill level and accept banded life for what it is.

Thanks Hummingbird, you are right on the money, obsession is my problem. Keeping the band on my mind, good or bad, 24x7 sometimes drives me nuts and this, as you shared, should get better as time goes on. I hope so.

Anyhow, I don't want to go cold turkey on this site because I have learned so much here. I do have to cut down on the amount of time on here and maybe be more selective on which forums I read. Thanks again. Jake

B-52,

I'm fairly new to the site (about a month) and I've only been banded for almost 3 weeks. I notice a lot of negativity and people giving passes for mishaps. I've also read a lot of positive, encouragement and honesty. The latter is what I appreciate the most.... Sort of the old adage "chew up the meat and spit out the bones". I type all of that to say that you may not need this forum as much but the forum definitely needs your insight, experience and expertise. I look forward to reading your posts and responses. I like your honesty and candidness... So THANK YOU!!!!!!

I dont really worry that something will happen to my band, more that i still think about food, not eating food, restriction and losing weight all daybevery day. Im thin, but dont think i will ever lose the fat mind.

I'm not banded yet, (surgery Monday!) But I know right now, my weight is on my mind all day every day, no matter what I'm doing or where I am. I'm assuming nothing can be worse than that!

I was obsessive about the band and my weight the first year, but in the 2nd year, I was much less so, and until probably about a month ago, hardly thought about the band except in that automatic way when I am thinking of what to eat. And sometimes not even then!

Then I moved cities, and had to research finding a new dr, and started coming to this site again, and suddenly I'm thinking about it a lot more again. My appt with my new dr is in 2 weeks and maybe after that, I'll slowly forget and move on again. But overall, yes, I did stop thinking about it and obsessing about it after a while.

Seven years in, and I think about the band every day. I also obsessed about it a lot at the start, and it does quiet a little. It becomes less about the band and more about "oh, no, I can't eat that." You get to a point where you just know if something will work or not. So while that's not, per se, thinking about the band, having a band does TOTALLY change your relationship to food and eating.

And then there are the days when I wish I didn't have a band. Lately I've been wanting a good old fashioned hamburger. With fries. And no, having a patty and no bun doesn't fill the crave. That's how I eat a burger (occasionally, when the band and I get along) but it's not the same. And sandwiches. I miss the ease of eating sometimes.

That said, I don't for a moment regret getting the band. Totally worth it.

I'm 2+ yrs post op and think about my band every day.

It's funny, Its both always on my mind and almost never on my mind if that makes sense. I know its there and it helps everyday to keep my lifestyle in check. It's never there in that I don't obsess about food anymore. In fact I used to love to eat and cook new recipes. Now I eat to live and not live to eat.

It is on my mind in those few times I get stuck which is maybe once every few weeks. I don't think about dime sized bites anymore or any of the things I was taught when starting with the band. Avoiding trouble food and trouble times of day (morning) are all almost natural now.

I think about it when I am exercising and trying to maximize the intensity or running distance.

I think about it when I am sitting in the same chair comfortably with my 2 daughters reading a book and not having my fat rolls pinched as we all squirm trying to get more comfortable.

I think about it when I walk by a mirror and can see the shape of my ribs and I can look down and see toes instead of the top of my belly.

There are so many things more I could say but those are a few of my thoughts for today.