I had my surgery in 2002. I was living in GA at the time and lost 80 lbs. I got down to 165lbs. My lowest weight. Shortly thereafter, I moved back to MI. I could not find a fill dr. and there were no weekly weigh ins and no support groups. As soon as I was back around my family I started gaining. I was in a size 10-12 at my lowest. It's now 2007 and I just creeped into an 18. I am so digusted with myself. I look horrible and feel horrible. I just got a fill, but little restriction. My family is no help. We are Polish eaters and family means food. My husband is a big eater and athelete and is no help and very little support. i think he likes me fat.

I need help. I need to get back into the lifestyle and get my head out of my butt. I am now at 225lb. I have gained back 60 lbs. of my 80 lbs loss. I don't know what to do.

Any help, encouragement is greatly appreciated. I just threw away all my "skinny" clothes in an act of rage.:angry

Hi, Did they do a fluoroscopy to make sure the band didn't slip? I haven't been banded yet, so excuse the ignorance; but, I thought it hurt if you ate too much? How did you manage to eat around it & any advice for someone like me who is afraid they would do that also?

Don't get discouraged. Be thankful that we have the band to help us get control of our eating. You just have to get your mind into gear again and work at it. (I just hit my 3 yr bandiversary and still struggle to maintain my weight. It seems that for some of us we will always have to work at it.) You might not have enough restriction, remember that it takes several to find the adequate restriction. I know how hard it must be to feel that no one is there for you. But we are here for you, don't give up.

Sandy I'm glad you found us I hope we can be your new support group. I'm also excited to see a new "old-timer" on the board. I'm sure I'll be picking your brains from time to time.

I have a friend here that was banded in 2002 as well. She has gained some of her weight back after having an unfill for a pregnancy (2 years ago) She is finding now that it is taking more fills and (fiddling) to get back to that old sweet-spot she previously had. Hopefully it will only take a couple fills for you to start regaining some of that restriction. I know you can do it! Good Luck

Yep, get back on the wagon my dear. Get a fill and begin again.

I know that without my band, I too would gain all my weight back. That is the beauty of the band. This is a lifetime tool and all you have to do is reactivate it and start losing again.

No reason why you can't have a meal with your wonderful Polish family, just less of it.

Good luck and go get those skinny clothes back, you will be needing them again.

hugs

We all need support from time to time. I know I sure do.

No flouroscopy. I can tell I have some restriction. it's very easy to eat around it. After a while, it's so easy to tell when to take a drink. At first, it will hurt if you eat too much. You have to be very careful. After you've lived with it for a year or two, you learn all the tricks which I am not willing to share with you and jeopardize your success. I wish you much luck with your surgery. Do what they tell you and keep getting your weigh ins. That was one of my biggest mistakes by losing sight of the scale.

I am too from a Polish family and know about all the fat and food we ate. It was delicious, but without the band I could not do this. You definitely need to get back on the wagon and get busy, you can do this, I'm sure. I know all about the food and how people get offended if you don't eat, eat, eat, the Polish tradition. Now, with the holidays approaching it is going to be difficult for me, but I will do this and so will you.

Hi sandyray. I'm over 1.5 yrs out and what you say is so true - you definitely learn your body and how it reacts, what things mean, etc. -- all of which makes it "easy" to work around the band.

Eating stuff aside, have you looked into finding a therapist, preferrably one who specializes in eating disorders? We all know the food itself is such a small part of the story. Maybe if you had help identifying your triggers and gains (psychological gains, not physical/weight gain), you'd be able to rediscover the magical "groove" that keeps us being good (compliant) bandsters.

Thank you everyone for your encouragement. I feel like I have hit rock bottom. I have 80lbs to lose right now to get to goal of 145. That seems so monumental and impossible. Thank goodness I host the holidays at my home and there's never time to eat. Fills in my area are almost impossible. $800.00 per fill which is ridiculous since I was getting them for free in GA. My cousin is a nurse and did my fill yesterday. No problem and no cost. I have a port above my left breast so it's very easy to find and zero pain. I hope she will continue to help me out. I am about busting out of my clothes and hate the way it feels.

My sister is very heavy. She weighs about 320 lbs. Her husband refuses to let her get the band. I know that I am not only doing this to prove to him that it can be done but also to myself. My husband hasn't said a peep since I've gained but he knows better. I can tell by how to treats me. (His affair happened a year ago and I decided to stay with him).

I know I can do this, I just need some help and support. I appreciate everything and will keep checking back.

Sandyray: Welcome back! There isn't a support group where i live either, but I find that this board fills that need for me. I've lost it all and gained it all back plus some. It's awful, but I am now back on my way down again, and feeling better than I ever did before. The toughest part is getting started--the road ahead looks endless, but step by step, day by day, we get there. Congratulations on taking the first step back!

Try checking out the local support section on this forum. There is one for MI. I am sure that they would welcome you to their meetings. Good luck.

.... Fills in my area are almost impossible. $800.00 per fill which is ridiculous since I was getting them for free in GA. My cousin is a nurse and did my fill yesterday. No problem and no cost. I have a port above my left breast so it's very easy to find and zero pain. I hope she will continue to help me out...

Hmmm... If she doesn't have you considered flying somewhere for the fills? Sounds drastic I know. But I had a friend that did that. She found a doc in a town with a direct flight from her airport on a discount airline. Even with a day away and the cost of the ticket it was cheaper than where she was at. I think she spent something like $130 round trip plus $50 for the fill. Here in Kansas City the fills are $100 at one of the docs here that has performed approx. 1000 lapbands and proctors new docs for Inamed in the Midwest. He also accepts fill patients he didn't band. Don't know if there are cheap direct flights to KC from where you are at but if your cousin won't continue with the fills it's something to look into. Or how about Canada?

I had my surgery in 2002. I was living in GA at the time and lost 80 lbs. I got down to 165lbs. My lowest weight. Shortly thereafter, I moved back to MI. I could not find a fill dr. and there were no weekly weigh ins and no support groups. As soon as I was back around my family I started gaining. I was in a size 10-12 at my lowest. It's now 2007 and I just creeped into an 18. I am so digusted with myself. I look horrible and feel horrible. I just got a fill, but little restriction. My family is no help. We are Polish eaters and family means food. My husband is a big eater and athelete and is no help and very little support. i think he likes me fat.

I need help. I need to get back into the lifestyle and get my head out of my butt. I am now at 225lb. I have gained back 60 lbs. of my 80 lbs loss. I don't know what to do.

Any help, encouragement is greatly appreciated. I just threw away all my "skinny" clothes in an act of rage.:angry

sandyray - you have taken the 1st step to regain your healthly life style

You really do know what to do - you have gotten a fill and found this site. Now all you have to do is put yourself 1st - make you your #1 priority.... I don't care what nationality your are - it can be mex - afro american - what ever - all families revolve around food - just cuz they do doesn't mean you have too. That's like saying ok my sis does drugs so i am going to do them too. Us fat people play so many mental mind games with ourselves (imho) You are a strong woman - you know the work that needs to be done - as you are aware the band is only a tool and is no guarentee that they weight will stay off for life if you go back to bad food choices. Start making new healthy food choices - low fat sugar free - exercise - and for your hubby - he can eat healthy too - it's not going to kill him - control your portoins - get another fill - you can do this - you have to do this for you and only you...

I think so many of us feel your pain. Gaining weight back after losing a huge amount is MORE depressing than just staying fat. It's like we've had a taste of the good life, and now we're fat again. Believe me, I feel your pain! I lost 120lbs on my own in 2000, and gained 90 of it back. I'm mortified at how quickly it creeps up.. just unbelievable. I'm now banded (almost 3 weeks), and have just started the loooong journey to losing again. It's almost like we just don't have the strength to do it again, but.. what choice do we have, really? We have to do this again. We'll just keep gaining and gaining (we know we will!). Just take it one day at a time. Try to forget the last time you were skinny and focus on this new journey. That's my trick - I hope it works. One day at a time - it's all we can do.

Best wishes to you (and, to me) - haha!

I had my surgery in 2002. I was living in GA at the time and lost 80 lbs. I got down to 165lbs. My lowest weight. Shortly thereafter, I moved back to MI. I could not find a fill dr. and there were no weekly weigh ins and no support groups. As soon as I was back around my family I started gaining. I was in a size 10-12 at my lowest. It's now 2007 and I just creeped into an 18. I am so digusted with myself. I look horrible and feel horrible. I just got a fill, but little restriction. My family is no help. We are Polish eaters and family means food. My husband is a big eater and athelete and is no help and very little support. i think he likes me fat.

I need help. I need to get back into the lifestyle and get my head out of my butt. I am now at 225lb. I have gained back 60 lbs. of my 80 lbs loss. I don't know what to do.

Any help, encouragement is greatly appreciated. I just threw away all my "skinny" clothes in an act of rage.:angry

Sandy

I am so sorry! Where do you live in Mi? I am here, maybe I can help you find a Dr.

There is a plus Sandy, you've already done it once! You know what to do, you know how to do it, and you know that you CAN! There is a giant plus!! YOU can do this, it is just a freaking pain to have to do it again. BUT that is the bonus with the band, if we screw it up we can fix it! Life is not over!

PM me and tell me where you are!

Hugs

Hi! I am from the South so I know what you mean about your family being all about the food. If it's not deep fried or cooked in about 2 sticks of butter we don't eat it lol. I don't have much support from my family when it comes to ANY diet I try b/c of the number of times I have failed. I lost 80 pounds on my own and in a matter of months I put it right back on. I don't have my band yet but I keep thinking about how good I felt when I was smaller and how much I want that feeling again. Don't let it get you down..let it motivate you to do what you have to. This web site is a great motivator and most of the people here are really supportive. I wish you all the best. I know you can do it..after all ...you've already done it once. :clap2: