Since there is no "life with no fill in the band" section, I thought maybe you guys could help me out. I had all my Fluid removed due to reflux, etc...and I have to leave it empty for a month.

I can't believe how much my band helped with head hunger. It's driving me crazy. I think about food all the time. When I'm eating lunch I think about what I'm going to have for dinner. I had forgotten how much food ruled my life.

I have not one ounce of restriction. What I have learned is that even with three years of struggle to learn new habits, without my band I am a raging food terrorist. I shovel it in. I take huge bites. I want chinese food for every meal. I thought at first that the more bulky food would help keep me full...but I never feel full unless I feel sick.

I'm lucky...I still have my band. I feel just terrified about what would happen without it. I am so sorry for those of you who have lost it.

This is really hard. The scale showed a three pound gain in a week and a half.

Megan

Change in behaviour with eating will only come through healthy eating habits....and even filled the band dont really allow that.

And we still think that this is the long term selution to our problem with food?

My cousin had an obscure duodenal bypass operation 6 months ago...before that this lady couldnt stick to a diet for 10 minutes.She ate huge amounts and always loaded her food with extra fat..(I often wonder how we could weight the same because I thought her habits were insane)

One of the side effects of the operation is diaree when consuming to much fat sugar or carbs....it took her about 4 months to change all of her habits...the first 4 months she tried to fool the op...spent most of her time on the loo...mourned the loss of food,rebelled cried and what not.....now she eats differently....vegetables 5 serves a day...3 fruit...3 Proteins...3 healthy carbs.Low fat,no added sugar......and the behaviour modification is working because the pay off is good health and normal time on the toilet........

And I still struggle to have restriction so that I can lose more weight....and I have an ulcer and I know 100 percent sure they will have to remove this band at some point....so what will make us modify our behaviour and what will be the long term payoff to keep it like that?

Why do we still cheer this operation?I'm just asking because here they are all of a sudden doing more of this operation than ever before and other dr's now specialize in complicated removals....all at the same hospitals,all making a killing financially off fat people's misery.

Now again,dont get mad...I am battling seriously with these issues and sometimes asking relevant questions can change things for others,somewhere in the future.....

I had that head hunger today! I ate more then I needed then was mad at my self for doing it!!!! then what the heck had a large 20 oz Cappuccino to top it off, the only good thing was it tatsed like Water today and not syrup! have been craving suger. so I gave it up!!!!!!!! no more.

so how have all you guys been? hope fine.

desertmom...I had that same obscure surgery...and it IS weird.

I don't know what makes which surgery work for which people, but if I did...I could get rich, I'm sure. Like your cousin, I MOSTLY (at six months) know what to eat and what not to eat. I am MOSTLY able to avoid eating stuff that will keep me earning loo-frequent-flyer-miles.

I was seldom rebellious when I first got the band...and when I WAS, the immediate result was, "Pardon me while I go rexamine what I swallowed a moment ago..." But as I developed physical problems, that limited my choices, which I then resented (because I HAD been successful with the band, but now the rules were getting stricter and the results were diminishing) and that's how I regained on a mostly Soup and ice cream diet.

I don't know that we need to cheer or boo any of our surgeries. To tell the truth. My second wls did not come with any guarantees, either. "We pays our money and we takes our chances."

Psychologically, for me, there is a difference between Plan A--"if I eat that now, I will have to leave the table and barf it up in a matter of minutes" and Plan B-- "if I eat that now, I may have FIVE bathroom trips tomorrow morning." In both cases there are choices to be made...and the consequences of making "the lesser choice" are not good. But for some reason, I feel less controlled and the choices are easier FOR ME with Plan B. With Plan A, I feel that my control over my life has been taken away.

So banded, I'd order (for example) the hamburger and not eat the bread and resent not eating the bread. So far, with the DS, I order the hamburger, eat a bite or two of the bread and then eat around it and feel less controlled. (And then there are SOME days that I just want that freakin' bread...and I'm willing to pay the price. But I guess that's better--so far, anyway, than taking up gambling with the retirement fund and all.)

You pose good questions. Don't stop.

Sue