I was cursing along and down 60 pounds when it just stopped..Right before I hit that stall I started to drink, not like an alcoholic but a few a week. I had stopped vlogging, writing down my food and even forgot what I was doing. The weight came back SO FAST! I went to the dr because I was too tight, I was getting stuck a few times a week and having re-flux. Got an unfill then a small fill. Last visit was Nov and I was 219 today I am 241..I was down to 186 I had my thyroid tested twice! I am now suffering from all the crap I did before, swelling, pain in feet, depression and all over lack of energy.

The band is there.. I feel it when i am on my period, it is tight then. When I eat Protein first it work..but I do not do that. I have been told and I tell myself I am a failure at weight loss everyday and it hurts my soul. I am so incredibly done with this and can not face this fat girl anymore..

How do you get back to the basics? How are you living with the band, I mean really living!

You my friend you are an inspiration! You have been down to 186! You know what you need to do. You know how to live with the band. You just need to remember that you are a strong beautiful person who is worth the time and effort it takes to take care of herself again!

Get back up on the band- wagon, put the drinks down they are doing nothing for you but making you miserable. They are so loaded with calories I'm not surprised the weight came back on that fast. Check in with your doctor, check out your fill levels and find that comfy spot. 1 visit 2, 3 whatever it takes to get there. Start with the liquid Protein diet again for a couple of days and remind yourself that you have gotten that weight down before and you can and will do it again and keep on going because it makes you feel good and is good for you too!

We are all right there with you, fighting the good fight every day.

Thank you for reading this. I guess I am looking for advice from anyone who has gained them lost it again.. I need to know it can be done.

I will be honest with you: I have been banded since Jan 2011 and I STILL struggle with my diet. I would have to say that after about 4 months out I have almost always been able to eat at least a cup or more of food at a sitting and not feel stuffed, and I have I think 6-7cc's in a 10cc band. I started my journey at around 275 (highest weight 284); I got down to my goal of 165 but am usually somewhere between 170 and 175 (pregnant at the moment so I'm up to about 177).

That being said, I think you already identified your problem: you stopped tracking. I personally ended up having to do Weight Watchers to lose my last 30 or so pounds because I needed the accountability, and it did the trick. Some will undoubtedly argue with me on this, but I don't think it's realistic to expect an adult to eat half a cup of food for the rest of their life and be healthy and satisfied. That being said, I think one of the biggest mistakes we can make with the band is not listening to our bodies; there have been way more occasions than I'd like to admit that I got stuck or ended up in pain because I took too big of a bite or kept eating even though I was satiated. Emotional eating was a hard habit to break and I still have moments where I want to cram my face, but have had enough negative experiences to know better now.

Remind yourself why you chose this journey in the first place, and don't be so hard on yourself when you have slip-ups; it happens to us all. Use the resources available to you, whether it be your doctor, support groups, or even posting on here. There are days when I curse my band, but I look back on the "life" I used to have and I thank God I had the opportunity to get the help I needed. Just remember to take it one day at a time. Here is a link to a page I have used when I feel like I have 'strayed' from the path (don't always do the full 5 days but 2-3 is usually enough to get the ball rolling)- http://www.5daypouchtest.com/plan/theplan.html . I wish you well and please continue to check in so we can see how things are going!

I think constant support can make a big difference. Do you have any support groups in your area so you're not doing it alone?

The good news? You caught it!!! That's the beauty of the band - it's still there and it works when you get yourself back on track.

My story is identical to yours! A few different circumstances, but to make it short: pres-surgery weight 306 - 7 years ago. Got down to 165. Quit paying attention and quit having regular doctor appointments = 60 pound weight gain. When I went back to the doctor I weighed in at 220 and was devastated.

'

Then I remembered how excited I was to be at 220 at one point. And I also realized that if I don't get right back up, I'll end up easily back where I started before surgery and then some.

SO - I got a fill in May and have started having monthly appointments with the doctor for accountability. I'm following the most important rules for me:

• ABSOLUTELY no drink with food
  
• Lean Protein first (yeah, but if I do that, I can't eat as much... EXACTLY!)
  
• Log every calorie on MyFitnessPal and stop ignoring what/how much I am consuming (It's soooo much easier to not know!)
  
• Exercise daily (UGGGHHH!!!)
  

I was so defeated and depressed when I started back. I felt like such a failure! I have fought my weight all my life and I thought that I had conquered the problem. Nope - I will never be finished with this battle - no matter whether I get to my goal or not! It's just another one of those hard lessons - we will never be able to do what other people can do without consequences. I can't eat like my skinny sister without gaining weight. I have to exercise daily, even though other people don't have to. It's not fair and it sucks, but it's my reality. Once I accept that, the rest is easier.

I was so used to failure that I had convinced myself that the band would no longer work for me. I was afraid that I was too far gone. I am my own worst enemy. Once I learned how to defeat the band I could (and did) eat anything I wanted to - and as much of it as I wanted. I thought maybe I had just tricked myself into losing the weight the first time but that now the real me was back and it was all over. I thought that maybe I would never be able to do it again.

More good news - I was wrong!!! Like I said - the acceptance piece was the key for me. Once I accepted that the band wasn't magical and that I have to do my part, miraculously, it started "working" again. So I follow the rules, workout, and I'm losing again. Because the scale messes with my head, I'm not allowing myself to step on the scale until July 31.

But this morning I went shopping in the back of my closet and I'm wearing a dress today I haven't worn in over a year!

You can do this! Start with regular doctor appointments. I need to have to look him in the eye. I know, I know - I should be doing it for me, blah, blah, blah. Don't care - those external controls are important for me. Maybe someday I'll be able to do it just for myself. But for now - I need to be accountable and not be able to hide or make excuses. My family loves me and accepts me whether I'm fat or not, and quite frankly - I can pretty easily justify or excuse just about anything to them and they accept that. Not the doctor. He knows BS when he hears it and he will call me on it.

After getting back to the doctor, start logging your intake (brutally) and start walking every day. Once you get rolling - the momentum builds quickly.

Don't give up!!!!

Shelly

Hi there PghGal. You have already been given wonderful advice from the previous posters. I will only add welcome back to getting back on track and please do keep us posted on your continued success. 186 down is fantastic. You can do it again. Just start now.