I had my band put in place in 2004, and almost from day one had nothing but complications.. My port flipped twice; the first time I had it replaced and wasn't able to tie my own shoes for 3 months, let alone sit in anything but a straight backed chair. It was miserable. The second time the port flipped, I didn't have insurance and couldn't afford to repair it so I just lived with a tight band and pain over the port site. I finally got insurance again the first of this year and consulted with a surgeon for removal. Couple hoops later, I was approved and had my band removed this past Tuesday, April 15th.

I'm completely, 100% confused. Having this constant pain in my side as well as living with a constant wondering if I'd be able to even keep Water down has really messed with my psyche. I don't know how to eat anymore, I don't know how much to eat, and I'm terrified of gaining all my weight back. I started my journey weighing 410 lbs; this morning I weighed in at 331. It's been a VERY long 10 years of yoyo-ing up and down, gaining and losing the same 80 lbs. I just want to see it gone for good, which is part of why I decided to remove the band.

How do you guys eat? How have you coped with the psychological issues, like terror of regaining all the weight? I feel like I have less support now than I ever have before!

You can still live without the band and be successful. You have to weigh and measure everything you eat and learn portion sizes and only eat that. A deck of cards is the size of a 3 ounce piece of meat. Get a food scale. You can do this. Even with out bands its not easy losing weight but I have to believe if I ever lost mine I have learned enough good habits to keep the weight off. I wish you luck. Remember your earlier days of your band and how it took you to the weight you are now. You can do it if you put your mind too it.

I've been weighing and measuring my food for a while now. I think I'm still trying to get used to not having a band, not to mention still healing from the surgery, but thanks! I'm hoping things get easier.

Cheryl is right. The band is just a tool. You have developed many more tools during your life with the band. Since you don't have the band but have the other tools, you'll just have to sharpen the others. Exercise, plenty of fluids, restrict your eating to meals. weigh, measure your foods, make healthy choices and avoid as many unhealthy ones as you can. You can do this. Keep posting and let us know how it's going.

Congrats on being band free. After 7 years of torture I am finally free of my band too. The surgeon had to reconstruct my stomach there was so much damage from the band so she did a modified bypass. I highly recommend it. What a difference between the two. I have lost more Weight in 4 months than I did in 7 years with the band. Just a thought. I'm really glad she did it. I eat normal food just small amounts. No port pain or feeling stuck all the time. Wish I had choose the bypass to begin with. I do wish you all the success in the world no matter what method of weight loss you choose.