Today it's 4 months that I changed my life - I allowed a surgeon to cut open my belly and wrap a band around my stomach as a means to help me be more cautious with food. Today - I can say, yes it's working. I can also say, it's been expensive hard work! And I can also say it's a journey all on it's own, in that it's been disappointing and it's been enlightening and mostly out of my control.

You see, I was an ove-reater - (I love the word WAS ). What the band has disallowed over the past 4 months is the ability to over eat and right now it's less than predictable. Daily, I do manage to get in calories and eating later in the day is easier (meaning, the food goes thru the band with ease) - I can NOT mindless eat anymore. Every bite I take is a bite that I've got to consciously take - which slows down the entire process, hence less food consumed in a days time.

Interestingly - I am unable to P&B (purge and binge?) - in other direct words, I am unable to vomit my food - I may vomit slime and phlegm but never what I swallow - this has been unexpected. I figured that when you got "stuck" the food would come back up - and I know many that it does this - for me it doesn't. Instead it's painful and long living - meaning it hurts and the food does eventually go down, but it's scarring and an episode I will not forget nor want to relive.

I am not quite 30lbs down (my expectations were 40lbs in 4 months) - (I know that's not realistic) - so...I am grateful for the 7lbs per month average - I'm one of those people who drop 5 lbs over night but the scale doesn't move for 3 weeks.

The best news on all of this - each pound I do lose - I won't ever see again. Note to newbies - it takes a long time - so have patience and do the right things - and the weight will come off.

One of my best friends said to me today - "Cathy, it's been a long time since I've seen you this happy" - and it's because of the band. I know the next 30 lbs will be gone by my 45th b'day - August 7th! I just have to keep walking the walk.

babble but the message is there - especially for those who are just tired of being fat and have no power over the fork - this does help - at least it's helped me!

Peace!

Great post!! I love reading people's journeys and ups and down, and the good and the bad. Planning on having the band around the beginning of May. Best of luck to you!!! Thanks for posting!!

So happy for you. Our dates are very close. I am loving my band as well. I have 2cc's but no true restriction. I have learned to be conscience of everything I put in my body and work through the head hunger.......this has been the greatest issue for me. Loving my band!!!!

So happy you are feeling the before and after difference.

We're about the same height and weight pre op and I can recall how great it felt getting down to the 190's. I seemed to stall there for a while but I found a paleo diet with extreme exercising that helped me drop 10 lbs the next month. I know once summer comes and you can walk/run/bike/golf you'll keep dropping lbs and reach your goal. Well done.

tmf

Happy Surgiversary!!! Congratulations on your success so far and for an amazing mental attitude. Continued success and happiness!!

Keep up the great work.

Great post!