I went on a nice long 2 month holiday and was happy to report that I had only gained 1 lb while on holidays. However, a lot has happened since I have been back (2 weeks now. I had a car accident while away, which led to a sciatica problem. Finally decided to go see the doctor last week for the problem and been given injections and put on a 2 week steroid/cortisone treatment to treat a sciatica problem I have with my left leg and lower back and OMG...I am a bottomless pit of hell. I can't exercise and all I do is sleep and eat. I feel myself bloating up and CRAVING the sugars for some odd reason. I am eating huge portions and the only time I really feel my band is if I eat too fast...then I get stuck. I feel like there is an alien trapped in my body and there is nothing I can do about it. My family is at their wits ends as they clearly can see its not me, its someone else and was wondering if anyone else ever had problems like that being on these kinds of meds. I am having severe side effects and am trying to hang in there since I have got 5 days left on the treatment, but not sure if I can hold off cause I really want my leg and back to get better so that I can get back on my elliptical and walking. Any thoughts..??

So sorry to hear that you are having a head time...it's those stupid steroids! I've been on them multiple times since being banded and yes, they make me feel like a monster with a MONSTER appetite!

Just get yourself healthy and then you can get back to working your band. Just remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint!!! I have that saying printed out and hanging up by my computer because I need to keep reminding myself how this should be working.

Oops!!! Hard time...auto spell strikes again!!!

You're craving sugar because you're tired!! So get extra sleep, and focus on Protein. Sometimes having an egg when you're craving sugar can bypass the craving. (old weight watcher's trick!)

But aside from the weight techniques, I think it's really important to remember that you're not going to be a perfect band patient all the time. Sometimes things get really hard and you don't feel like doing it, and other times you'll be really in the groove and flying high. My advice to you now is to try to just coast through it... Don't try to force yourself into being perfect, and don't give yourself guilt. You feel how you feel, there's a lot going on, and you don't need additional EXTRA pressure. If you can focus on being kind to yourself, comforting yourself in other ways (maybe get a masssage, can you do yoga?, maybe go to a movie) and just try to not do damage while you're feeling lousy... Then you'll feel good again and it'll all be fine!!

Good luck to you!! Give yourself a hug and hair pet, just as if you were your own mama!

Steroids are wicked. Not only can they make you into an eating machine but they can seriously effect your moods, too.

I know it's very hard right now, but once you're off the steroids and give them a little time to work out of your system, you'll start to feel normal again.

Hang in there!

^{thks everyone. appreciate it.}

I take the steroids for Asthma now and then. I always used to say there were 5 pounds of weight waiting for me at the bottom of the pill bottle. With the band it has not been so bad, but not have the cravings I used to have. Still like some of the sweet things but not in the big quantities I used to eat. Best of luck.