Hi, I'm Selena,

I have had my band exactly 3 years this week. I have had several fills and unfills. I sometimes wish I had gone with the bypass surgery since those people seem to lose all their weight and not struggle like me. I started at about 285 lbs. I have gotten down to around 235, but Ib know it is my own fault I haven't made my goal of 183. I don't eat right, but I have enlisted some new buddies and goal systems to finally move forward. I joined CURVES in May and have lost over 10 inches and 10 lbs. I just started their 6 week challenge to boost metabolism, do more exercise and have both group and leader support. My discouraging thoughts come in when one woman who started last year and then had the gastric bypass instead of banding has already lost over 100 lbs. I know that she had more to lose to begin with, but I feel like maybe I should have done it to. Has anyone felt like me?:help:

Your choice for the band I think was a very wise one. You are lsoing weight at a much slower pace, but yet much healthier with none of your insides rerouted or cut, you have none of the malabsoprtion issues a GB patient does, none of the dumping issues a GB patient does, none of the worries of your pouch stretching like a GB patient does. All of these things are far more important to me then rapid weight loss. Losing weight slower, you will have less issues with flabby skin like a GB patient does due to their rapid weight loss. Do not get discouraged, it seems like you are back on track and know what needs to be done. For me and many others here the band is the safer way to lose weight. We can not comapre our weight loss to toher regardless if they are a GB patient or another band patient. Be thankful you have your band after 3 years and it still works for you when you work with it. I lost my band after 18 months due to erosion , I was fortunate however to lose over 100 lbs in that 18 months but now I struggle everyday. I have been bandless for 10 months and I am very lucky to have not gained any of my weight back but Iwork at it, I am in Weight Watchers, it is a constand battle..but a battle I will win!

Best of luck to you..stay focused and the rest will come

but Ib know it is my own fault I haven't made my goal of 183. I don't eat right

Get back to those bandster basics. You can do this!

:biggrin1: Thank you for reminding me not to compare myself. I do have friends who did the bypass and are now gaining their weight back. I am like the tortoise and the hare in their race. Just call me La Tortuga! Also do you have a place on the website about what the "basics" are. I think I forgot some.

Thanks,

Selena

I am newly banded 9/12/06 and so far so good. I am still sore but nothing that the Tylenol can't handle. I just will be glad when the bloat feeling goes away. How long does it take? Thanks Brenda B:omg:

About a week or so. Once it is all gone you will forget you ever had it. I didn't have any of the pain, shoulder pain or anything just a little tenderness from my port site. You'll be up and running in a week or so with no problems. Congrats on your new band. I've had mine for about 2 months and so far so good, down about 40 pounds, and going for 3rd fill this week.

Selena, I think you made the right choice with the band. Bypass patients might lose it faster, but if you maintain bad habits you'll just gain it back. You have to work with the bypass just like you have to work with the band. Keep going! Never give up! That's the beauty of the band. There's no "magic period" where you've lost your chance to lose the weight. You can keep right on going.

You'll get there... don't give up!