BandyKandy

thanks to all of you for your responses. Some great suggestions. I'm looking at the pouch test page, going to consider that for sure! I have tried "starting over" and I really thought that would work, but its not so far. I am not going to give up, I can never give up.. I want to feel good again. It just seems there isn't a good fill level now... I'll keep hanging around here, thats gotta help.

My dream came true. I lived it. I'm thankful that i had it, even if only for a short time. My dream for my entire life, since childhood was to be a normal size. I was banded almost 5 years ago. It took almost 2 years to lose about 70 pounds. I even had a size 10 on my butt. (I should have them framed) I was on top of the world. I felt good, I looked good. Time for step 2 of my fit by forty plan. I quit my 3 pack a day smoking habit. Very slowly, the weight started coming back on. I was so careful the first year... only gained about 10 all year. But somehow.. things changed over the next few years. I ended up over filled, then unfilled... Now I am maybe a little bit underfilled, but there doesn't seem to be a fill level that works for me anymore. I've gained it all back. I don't feel good anymore. I certainly don't look good. I never had much for aftercare. I just paid for fills when I needed one. I thought i could have a "do over" If I got to a proper fill, it would be just like before. Nothing is like it was. When I was first banded, I lost weight no matter what. Food just wasn't something that controlled me. It seems to control me again The band just doesn't do it for me anymore. I'm back to dieting, and diets make me fat. Is there ANYONE out there who has gained, but then lost it again? My band is fine... I've had it checked out.. It just doesn't do what it used to. Anyone have any hope for me???

i have always traveled. I live in Minnesota.. I traveled to Dr. Ortiz/Martinez for surgery and all fills for the first 3 years. Now I've been driving to Dr. C in Ohio ... its about a 12 hour drive. I have never found anyone local. Its not easy or fun to do that kind of traveling, but I do what I need to in order to get the best there is... at a reasonable price.

i love that my band makes most of my food decisions for me. I wasn't able to do that as well as my band can.

Its called a nasty cold. I was planning on driving 800 miles to get a fill, its been about 13 months since I had one. (3 years since banded) I was able to eat more than I wanted to be able to eat. Thankfully, I didn't go yet. I came down with a bad cold, my eyes are litterally running, and someone turned on the faucet in my nose. Lots of extra fluids, and that made my band super tight. When I tried to take a few big drinks of water a few nights ago, I knew something was coming on. I don't recall my band getting this tight from an illness before, but it does have its own mind. Stress will tighten me right up. So, for two days now, I can't get any solid foods in. Even thick liquids (slim fast) are not working well. I'm drinking lots of warm tea, hot cocoa and propel. I'm down about 6 pounds. I've gained 40 of the 70 I lost after I quit smoking, so I'll take it anyway I can get it. Maybe this will give me the jumpstart I need. Anyone else have a really tight band when you get sick?

Hi Julie... I'm not currently losing, i need to lose more.. Been banded 2.5 years. I have fairly good restriction. I can swallow small pills, but one at a time.. and I have to wait a minute or so between em. I wouldn't attempt a big vitamin, too big.

Most of us.. myself for sure, are (were) morbidly obese because we have a problem with food. I can't make good decisions long term on my own. Think about it... if we all would just follow all of the bandster rules all of the time, we would never need the band. You need proper restriction, so that the band decides for you, or at least helps decide. When I had proper restriction, I stopped thinking about food.

I was banded almost 3 years ago. I actually reached my pre-band goal. I wore a size 10... ok, maybe it was only for a day or two.. but i did get size 10 on my butt. THEN... I gave up the other butts. I quit my 2 1/2 pack a day smoking habit after 25 years. (started when i was bairly a teen) I've gained 30 pounds in 9 months since quitting. I have good restriction. I suck at dieting. I joined weight watchers, thought i had a great week.. I gained a half a pound. I feel huge again. I'm only down 30 pounds from my banding weight. I don't eat much. I just make the same bad choices too often. Tell me there's hope?????

one week is soooo awesome. You are well past the hardest part. You are doing the best thing. Just remember... you'll never have to quit again, as long as you NEVER take one puff. Tell yourself that no matter what.. Anything but smoking... If its important to you, you will do it. Just never ever take that first puff. You can't.. you don't smoke anymore. Quitting sucks. I'm 9 months, 24 days and 7 hours into my quit. I was smoking 2-3 packs a day... for over 25 years. As for the gaining thing... I wish I could help more.. I failed there, but I won't smoke, its not an option. Now I just have to lose the weight... Thats why I came to this site, to get support for that. You can do this.. you can stay smoke free... We did, so can you. If you gain some now.. you can lose it. Don't take that first puff... then you'll never have to quit again.

I soooo need to do WW again. I'm planning on starting soon. I lost 60 pounds doing ww at one time. Now I'm 2.5 years out... lost about 60-70 pounds after being banded, just by eating healthier, and moving more. Now, I quit smoking, and am gaining rapidly. I'm down about 40 from my banding weight.. and feeling really icky. I'm properly restricted, don't eat all that much.. but I need a structured program. I thought I was done with dieting.. but I guess not. WW, here I come!

hmm, I think that is diff. for everyone. For me.. I agree with the first response.. I like being tight, its the only way I lose. But you need to be able to get the nutrition you need.

I find that its not always all that easy to keep it from people who I am around on a regular basis. I am pretty restricted, (and yet still gaining weight right now) I've been banded over 2 1/2 years. I don't eat like most people eat. At restaurants, I order soup usually. At a buffet or pot luck style meal, I take small amounts of things I think I can eat.. I do sometimes put food on my kids plate if I get full too fast, and it looks noticable. I have all the excuses in the world when it gets noticed.. At work I say.. I just eat really slow, I use the big lunch excuse, stomach ache, trying to lose weight... etc... If I was actually served a full serving of food that the hostess dishes up... For me it would be very noticable. I wouldn't be able to eat enough to not be very noticed.. and I'd be so nervous that I'd get stuck for sure. I told the people really close to me.. My kids, my best friends, my guy. Everyone else knows nothing. When I was losing on a regular basis, I just said I was eating less and moving more. (the truth) Now I'm sure people look at me and wonder how I can possibly eat so little, and yet gain weight. They are most likely baffled, kinda like me wondering why that guy had that reduction surgery!

I'm wanting to get a fill as soon as I can, as I can already tell I have very little restriction now. (3 weeks post op) I'm trying to decide if I should have it done with a Dr near me, or go back to Dr. Ortiz. The cost will be about the same either way. Sue, I remember you saying at one time you had been to Dr. O for a fill... any comments? Is he too conservative with fills? If its going to take many fills to get some restriction, I'll probly just stay here. Thanks