kitty18

Banded in 2004 in the first year I lost most of the weight I needed started at 238lbs and at the end of the year was 154 lbs but I felt I still needed to lose weight.  I hardly exercised in the first year. Second and third year I turned into a gym junkie only lost another 6lbs by going to the gym but I was very fit and a lot more toned and therefore losing inches.  My first fill was at the 3 month point as I was losing weight.  I had problems will fills.  I had an inamed 4ml band and I never got past 1.6 mls in my band.  I would get a fill and be fine in 6weeks I would have a blockage take the fill out and gently start again.  After four years they found my oesophagus had stretched I was getting gastric reflux to the point I was choking in the night.  I was putting on weight and was back at 216lbs.  They say the band is removable and it is but the thought of going back to being over weight is indiscribable.  What do you do? Definitely couldn't live with it, after year of trying to lose the weight, feeling like I will choke to death  at night.  My doctor wanted to do a gastric bypass but I couldn't come to terms with this. I settled for a sleeve gastrectomy.  It has been 8 months now I'm 178lbs I can eat all types of food in very small quantities.  I feel I have a healthier diet than on the band as I don't tend to go for the soft food option, I don't get reflux, I am anemic to a point I needed iron infusion my iron was always low but never this low. Would I do it all again.  I don't know I like being thinner I felt very uncomfortable, being overweight.  I wish there was a better way to be thin.  Be true to yourself before you try the band it is not the easy option, it just puts you on the roller coaster to lose weight if you can be as focused as I was in the first year do so.  I didn't eat anything fattening or sugary for the first year.  The plus is you tame your hunger which I must say was the problem for me.  Eating as little as I do is a pressure socially as not many people know about this journey.  This is a mental drain and comes up as a problem alot.  I can eat about half to three quarters of a small entree size dish.  I am very conscious of this I think the people at work and a few friends that dont know about this think I must be sick.  Try every avenue you can, do think of this as an easy option, it is effective but at what price may I ask.  Don't get me wrong I do feel so much better being thinner.  More confident, I can wear nicer clothes feel good in that way.  I don't mind eating small amounts but it can be weird explaining why I don't eat that much.  I get by though and I am getting more use to it and the people around me are getting more use to it and not questioning it.  I would like to lose another 13 or so lbs and get back into the exercise. With low iron I felt I had no energy so hopefully with the iron infusions I will be more energetic.  Good luck all Be true to yourself and you will make the right decision.