i am on the last 2 months of my 6 month wl program, and i have been yo-yo dieting all through it. gained a little, lost some, and now i've gained it back! does this mean i'm not ready for the band??? do i not deserve the surgery? your input would be great....thanks guys!

I think this is the reason why we need the band, because we do go back and forth with dieting. The coordinator at my center told me that during the 6 mos weight loss, it is okay if you fluctuate as this will also show the insurance company that you do indeed need some surgical help. I'm also in the near end of my 6 mos diet.

oh thank you alfie. how has your 6 month wl program been going? i hate that i have to do this to get the surgery....but i know it will be worth it. mine ends in jan. when does yours? any other advice for me?

Hi,

well, i will be done in December. I was doing really well as you can see by my ticker but it was actually up to 40 but I gained back like 8 lbs. It's been difficult for me too. I think we just have to hang in there.

ps. Why don't you come to chat, thats where we are hanging out and chatting. Just click on 'chat' at the top of the site and you'll be in a room with lots of banders.

I don't think this means that you are not ready for the band. Trust me, I've done a gazillion diets prior to this and although, admittedly, I have lost pounds, I have never been able to keep it off. I think the pre-op diets are to show that you are willing to stick with something and try to adjust your eating habits because, obviously, if we were able to keep up with the diets, we wouldn't have to be candidates for the surgery.

Some of the changes, I would suggest (although might not be in line with your diet program but would help for after the surgery) would be to chew slower and take more time while eating. The biggest change though...don't drink with meals! That seems to be that hardest behavior to change. I started doing it about a month before surgery and it wasn't as hard to deal with afterwards.

Good luck to you though and I'm sure you are doing just find. Find one of the groups that is having the surgery about the same time as yours and you will get loads of info, as well as people going through the same thing you are.