Tonks

About a month ago I noticed the area around the port started to swell and went to the doctor. It turns out I had an abcess due to infection. my doctor sent me to do some tests, including the endoscopy (I did it yesterday) and that's how we found out. I have no pain or difficulties to eat. Just the abcess on the port area. this was the first time I had a problem. I hope surgery goes weel and recovery doesn't take long. I just need to continue eating healthy and going to the gym. I really love the gym and working out. That's something I really enjoy. My doctor wants me to get a sleeve, but in my country that is not covered by insurance and I am not sure if I want to have it done.

Hi, I just find out during an endoscopy that my band has eroded into my stomach. I have an appointment with my doctor on October 8, to schedule a band removal surgery. Has anyone have this problem? How did you feel after the surgery? Is it a long recovery? I have to say I was banded on 2006 and reach my goal about 4 years ago and had no other previous problems with my band. In fact I still consider that was the best decission of my life. I'll wait for your comments.

I was fat , since I can remember. Once in college I managed to lose a ot of weight then gained it back. The band works as long as you are willing to work with it. It takes effort, but believe me it's worth it!! Good luck on your journey.

Last time I wrote, I was 14 pounds away from my goal (130 pounds, set by my doctor), but I always wanted to be 125, since that was the weight I had in college. After I reached goal, I continue to lose weight, but not on purpose, I excersise and eat pretty much every kind of food. My weight now is 124 pounds, I'm happier than ever. And what you said abut small victories, that is soooo true, I remember the first time I could cross my legs without problems, and the first time I when shopping and got a M blouse, that was just incredible for me! Best wishes to all of you, I hope you reach your goals and keep up the spirit !

I'm at my goal, and ate pretty much everything, never counted calories or kept a journal. I just ate in small portions. Have many female coworkers telling me I'm too thin, and then turning their heads to say: I hope you dont get the pounds back.... I just hate when that happens.

I have a question.... I have been banded for almost 3 years now. My actual weight is 121 Pounds, I can eat almost everything and not have a problem, but I've been having an almost constant diarrhea, it's like one week I'm Ok, and then the other I'm not. I went to my doctor and have some tests done and everything appears to be OK. Could this be band related? Have any of you had this problem? Should I get worried?

I do as Fort Bend Band and I order apetizers, and serve small portions of food on my plate. At first I never ate out or at parties, but as i was getting used to the band I also started to feel comfortable with eating the small portions, if someone asks, I just tell them I'm not that hungry, and that's it.

I have to say that day came when I saw a picture of me with my newborn niece, and she look so small.

For me it has changed a lot. In my case my mother just don't really get how the band works, she is still trying to make me eat in her case she wants me to eat more but not candy, healthy foods. No matter how many times I have explained to her that I'm full she doesn't get it. She is such a good mother and has helped me a lot. Some female friends... well that is a different history, there are jelous persons all around but mostly at work (obviously they don't know about the band, but somehow they don't like the fact that I'm loosing weight). All my issues are still there, the thing is that now I have to deal with it on a different way, and sometimes is not as easy to do it. Also I have realize that as I was losing the weight I was also getting the power to speak for myself and to defend my opinions an points of view more strongly, that cause me a lot of problems too.

I'm almost at goal, and sometimes worry about things like "what if the weight comes back?", but i also got used to the way I eat now, the small portions, I see normal plates with a normal amount of food on it, and I just think "wow! who is going to eat all that?"

1. How much weight did you have to lose and how long did it take you to get there? I have to lose 100 pound. I am 14 pounds away form my goal and it took me about 18 months, mostly because I don't exercise as I should. but that is a new goal I have set to find the time to excercise properly. 2. What have you found to be most effective things to do to lose the weight? excercise? certain foods? any good tips? etc? I try to exercise but let me tell you that I don't do it on a regular basis. After you are banded (at least it happened to me), you will find there are foods that are easy to eat and digest, I mostly stick to that kinds of food. As Jachut said, I also had my treats. 3. Did you lose the most in the beginning, over time, when? At the beginning. And I have found very hard to lose those las 14 pounds. I whish you the best!!!

There are a couple of moments that made me feel "normal" as you said. I am 14 pund away from my goal, right now I weight 144 pounds. The first time was at my brothers house, my sister in law (she is tall and thin) asked me to go out with her to some party from work, since my brother had to stay and babysit the kids and she didn't want to go alone, but I told her I was not dressed for the occasion. She told me to grab a pair of jeans and a top from her closet. I was like "you are soooo crazy", until I put on the jeans and they FIT !!!, that was a great, great revelation for me. And basically there are little moments like that. Last saturday I was at a friends birthday party and there was one guy just looking at my direction and I was totally sure he was looking at my friend (because you know, sometimes I think I'm still a fat woman), until he came to us and started talking to me and asked me to dance. Also going to a store and asking for a shirt two or three sizes bigger only to realize in the dressing room that the shirt is too big.