Hi all. I was banded in 2007 and lost those first fifty pounds in the first couple of months, and then my gall bladder came out six weeks after I was banded. Before banding my highest was 297. Then in 2010 I got down to 213. I was about 245 in 2008 so those pounds took a long time and a lot of work. Then the fertility treatments started and I did yoyo a bit from about 220 ish to 245. I got pregnant in May or June of 2011 and I weighed 220. But halfway through my pregnancy (and I had been doing well at that point) I had trouble keeping things down and got a complete unfill. Big mistake!! But it was late enough my pregnancy they didn't feel comfortable giving me a fill. So by the time I was hospitalized (severe preeclampsia) I weight 305 pounds and then I gave birth shortly after to a 5 pound 13 ounce baby. My band has been a bit tempermental after giving birth. I have had a couple of little fills and a partial unfill. Right now I weight about 240 (it varies by about five pounds). My son will be one year old in January and I want to get back to 220 by then. But I am really wanting to get down to about 165 or thereabouts. However, I don't want to spend more than five years doing that! My biggest issue is my love of junk food. I just get so hungry!! I am going to have another fill in a couple of days, but even with decent fills I just want to eat junk food. Ice cream and Cookies. Those are my big struggles. A part of me really wants to be good and eat like I should, but at the same time I feel like I should be able to have some yummy food. If I get enough restriction I can only eat about 1/4 cup of ice cream which is great, but then I am too restricted on things like apples. So that is the dilema with fill level, restriction and so forth. I really want to be a good role model for my child and not have him struggle with obesity. Both of my parents did when I was a child. And even now my mother really doesn't eat well despite losing the weight. She constantly constantly worries about calories and then eats nothing so she can have popcorn for dinner. Not healthy. And I'm trying to get my head around the not eating so much ice cream and junk food. But I get all weak and then I think I will eat a cookie and I eat the freaking box. So I made an appointment with a counselor that specializes in eating disorders and is supposed to be good at helping with cravings. Has anyone done this? What should I expect? I am wanting to do some homework ahead of time if possible.

Right now I know I want to get under 200 if I were to get pregnant again since my first pregnancy was so hard and I'm in such bad shape. And I am in physical therapy and taking a fitness class and walk the dogs and trying to eat well (though I cannot manage to fit in all those fruit and veggie servings).

Just be honest with the counselor... and good luck to you!

I did continue to meet with my councilor post op back a year ago because I struggled with the emotional side of weight loss and had some strong issues with grieving food loss. My councilor helped me to realize that I could develop better ways to cope with my stresses and let go of my addiction to some foods. My way of dealing with the junk food is not to have it in your house. I do not buy it or allow my family to bring it in unless they take it to their rooms, out of site out of mind. I don't do slider foods and if I want a snack it is a planned snack in my daily caloric count, know full well if I do this too often I will not lose weight. Modifing behavor is the hardest part of this journy. I think see a coucelor is the right direction to go. Good luck to you.

I think the councilor is. A great idea. I have to haven't band removed due to a severe slip when I'm 36 weeks preg. I think this is something I may consider. After getting the band I told everyone I didn't need weightloss surgery I need brain surgery.