Hello. I WAS a regular member here. This past year has brought me many changes. Sept of 05' I dealt with an addiction to painpills from a serious knee injury. At that point (4 months after being banded) I had lost about 30 lbs. In December, we decided to move from Florida to North Carolina. All summer was spent in and out of town for my husband's work and vacationing.

I have gained ALL the weight back at my own fault. I am SERIOUSLY considering being Unbanded due to I guess, my own fault. I want to lose the weight, about 80 lbs in all. I go for all the wrong foods and I KNOW i eat too much. Sometimes have a hard time going down but have only PB'ed twice in over a year. I don't want to look at this as a failure but I just don't seem to have the will to do it. I have come this far, yet I still eat wrong. I drink sweet tea, take NSAIDS, self sabotager. I know I can stop. It seems to me as I went from a pain pill addiction to a food addiction. I really don't want to be unbanded. I REALLy would love a scheduled diet of exactly what I eat every day and then attempt to follow it. I know if I set my mind to it 100% I can do it. Meanwhile I need a doctor in the Gastonia area. Maybe a nutritionist. Any advice is welcome. Thanks.

If you "really don't want to be unbanded" why do it?

My suggestion is to remove all of your fill for a while and see how you do. If you are ok with that, then leave it in. You may find in a year or so you are ready to try again with a fill....

Good luck.

Hmmmm, that's actually a good idea. Thanks so much!

Robyn, if you have 10cc in a VG band, could you be too tight?! You may be relying on JUNK because it's easier to eat? Get that 3cc taken out and see how that feels for a while. You have dealt with alot...be nice to yourself! I PMd you back. (((hugs)))

Don't give up yet. Try for a partial or total un-fill. The tool will be there for you when you feel ready to try again. Maybe this isn't the time to focus too much on weight loss. Maybe you can just work on feeling good about yourself and celebrating victory over addiction! Yes, see a nutritionist and maybe a therapist, too, if you don't already.

You deserve to feel good about yourself and weight is only part of that equation. Maybe you could talk about what's going on inside and get some support from someone who has experience with addiction. From what you say about wanting a regimented program, it sounds to me that you have some fear of losing control with food? This is totally a 10 second analysis so I could be way off base here. But I think therapy is so helpful for re-learning those feelings of control. Or maybe just seeing a nutritionist and talking about your need for structure could help you find more balance. I agree with 'best me', you HAVE gone through a lot -- take the weight loss in baby steps.

We are here for you! :clap2:

Hope whatever you want works out for you...I too am in NC so I can always be an ear to listen to you.

Bands can be filled beyond the maximun advised. Find a surgeon and talk to him/her about a slight fill. Consult a nutritionist or join an organized program like Jenny Craig to help you get back in control.

Thanks everyone, except Jack, for your advice!!!!!! I appreciate it!

And Jack...you may be right, but come on, gimme a break!!!!