Old-Timers (3+ Years Banded) Recommitting To The Bandster Lifestyle

[lellow 1,713]

Ok, I don't know if there's already a thread like this but I know for one thing that I would like to band together (pun intended) with those of us who have had our bands for over 3 years and have gotten complacent.

I've always had it easy when it comes to maintaining, but now have a small slip and a leak, and very little restriction, so have decided to recommit to the bandster lifestyle to try to ensure that my weight is maintained.

Whatever your motivations for recommiting to the bandster lifestyle, you're welcomed to join me here.

So here's me:

• Banded Aug 2008
  
• Lost 85lbs
  
• now have a small slip and a leak, and no restriction, and found I could eat more
  
• As a result, I gained 5lbs in a month, pulled myself up, returned to eating well and exercising and have lost it.
  
• Looking to maintain and redevelop good eating and exercise habits.
  

I seem to be motivated best by being part of a support group, and I think it's fair, when I'm not trying to lose, but to maintain, to keep that separate from those who are trying to find the right mindset for the first time. I'm trying to reconnect with the mindset that helped me lose in the first place, so I think that's a different kettle of fish.

So, who's with me?

[Cocoabean 430]

As I sit here with my root beer float, I guess I should raise my hand!

Banded 4 years. 70 lbs gone. Maintaining easily. But I could do better on the nutrition part. I need to commit to eating healthier lunches at work. I tend to be very lazy and usually do noodles like cup 'o Soup.

[Lynn42 8]

Here's me:

Banded June 2008

Lost 85 pounds then gained 20 after an unfill

Recommitted and getting back on track

Exercising 4 times per week but need to do more

Training for the cycling portion of a small triathlon in June

Have been on a plateau for many months.

[Jachut 487]

Banded 2005, lost 120 lb and have maintained. However was diagnosed with rectal cancer 2010, u filled for treatment and never got back quite the same restriction. Whilst i remain about 5lb lighter than when cancer was diagnosed, i did hit an all time low of 130 ( im five feet ten inches) and am now about 145, so ive had a significant gain which i would say is partly simply me returning to health, closure of my ileostomy ( i swear i barely absorbed ANY food whilst i had it) but also partly due to slacking off.

The thing is after seven years banded so many of those dayto day sensations that help you listen to the band become so normal you no longer notice them. Thus i have developed a very slight pouch dilation. So its back on the straightand narrow for me and now im listening, i find i relly only need about half what i ws eating - in fact i may need an unfill because at this rate ill be skeletal again before long. And NO more drinking and eating together!!!

[lellow 1,713]

Hey all, good to see you here!

I called my dr's office and got my appt brought forward to this Friday. I want to know what his plan is for this leak and slip. I did 2 days on a liquid diet and can't say that it's actually done anything for increasing my restriction at all. I think maybe I need to be refilled back to where my band was before (8.5cc or so) and then see if it's making a difference, coz right now, it's not really.

I'm watching what I eat but damn I miss my band and what it did for me. I'm hoping I get to understand the way forward this Friday so that I can get my head around either living without the band for a while, or trying to get some restriction back. I hate being in limbo.

In the meantime, have picked up on the exercising. I can feel myself getting stronger again and that's good at least.

[coachramz 0]

Thanks for getting this going lellow. I forgot how beneficial this site could be. I already feel a motivation I had not felt in quite some time. We all got the band for our own reasons and I feel this thread is just the right medicine to get us all back on track! We can all do this together.

[Cocoabean 430]

So Lellow, are you totally unfilled for the slip? That would be so horrible, but it is the general treatment here in the States. Unfill and liquids for about a month, then re-evaluate.

For the leak, do they put in a new port? You whole situation totally sucks.

[shues138 35]

I'm so glad you started this thread, I have just start re-commiting myself to the bandster lifestyle and it's so far so good (with some slip-ups but I take it one day at a time). I was banded in January 2007, lost a ton of weight ~70 lbs, and gained most of it back due to bad food choices, not having the time to eat, and just being lazy.

December of last year I re-commited myself to being a good bandster and so far I have lost 20 lbs since December with an overall loss of 28 lbs since my surgery date. I know it's not that much, but my goals are set 10 lbs at a time.

I'm also working out more than ever and in March I'm starting the couch 2 5k program, my goal is to run in a 5k next April.

I don't know what clicked in me to do this again, but it's working, I don't deprive myself and honestly I think I'm still in "bandster hell" since I don't really feel restriction. But, like I said one day at a time for me

[elcee 3,341]

I'd love to join you but I have to wait a while. See you on 2 June.

[lellow 1,713]

Lol elcee,

I personally would love for you to contribute here!

coachramz and shues138, glad to have you onboard. And coachramz, I agree, I feel more motivation too just by having others around that are of the same mindset.

Denise, yeah it does suck, huh? I am telling myself that I'm lucky though - I lost the weight, THEN had issues. I feel for those who have had a slip or a leak right in the beginning. How de-motivating must that be? So that's me - trying to count my blessings!

And I have no idea what my dr has planned for the slip or the leak. The last I saw him was at my gastroendoscopy and all he said was that he thought I was leaking from my port, and depending on how much Fluid I'd lost by the next time he saw me, we would have to discuss whether to replace the port or just manage with regular fills. He also said I have a small prolapse, which might account for my ability to eat more, but didn't say anything about how he was intending to manage it. I hope I have more answers by Friday coz, like I said, I really miss my band!

[Cocoabean 430]

Lellow, I'd go crazy with no answers! I am the type who wants ALL the info, the good, the bad, and the ugly, then we take it from there. I know I rely on my band so very much. Without it I have no doubt that I would regain weight. They say we should change our eating habits so as to not need the band...yeah, riiiggghhhttt. If I could change my eating habits to where I didn't need my band, I'd not have needed it in the first place.

Sort of like the fellow I work with who lost his work cell phone. He filled out an incident report that said, I lost my cell phone. Security said that isn't enough, we need to know where you lost it and when. Well if he knew that it would not be lost, now would it???? Sheesh.

I am sure Friday cannot come soon enough!

[lellow 1,713]

Oh hell yes, I'm like you, Denise! I'm the type of person who needs the entire plan of action spelt out in full or I start getting antsy. I *am* a project manager by profession, after all! My whole life is about planning!

I was actually supposed to see my Dr on the 5 Mar and I harassed his receptionist into giving me an earlier appt. I can't wait any longer. This is driving me nuts!

I am coping with no restriction at the moment, and if I had to live without the band, I believe I could, but call me crazy, I want my working band back. I am happy to put in the exercise. I am happy to eat well, but the band stopped the hunger and that, alone, was a godsend. AND I MISS IT!

[elcee 3,341]

Thanks.

A friend asked me the other day if my taste has changed as she was told by WW that after a while ( not sure how long) your tastes change and you no longer want the unhealthy foods.

WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP.

My food of choice is still and always will be chocolate. Even if I didn't have it for 50 years I would still want it so I have no idea how long it is supposed to take for this taste change to happen.

Think about it, if you had a choice between a lettuce leaf and a chocolate which would you choose?

[elcee 3,341]

I suppose I should "introduce" myself!

Banded June 2009.

Lost 24kg (53lb)

Current BMI +/- 21

Maintaing fairly easily.

I am very lazy - I hate exercise.

Slipping back into bad habits like eating chocolate and Cookies. I need to keep them out of the house as if they are not here I can't eat them, but this is difficult when my husband decides to bake at weekends.

I also need to plan more especially if I am going shopping so that i can take something healthy with me instead of grabbing something at the food court.

I have just read a really good book by Susie Burrell called "Losing the last 5kgs". Whilst I might not need to lose another 5kg the techniques and strategies that she mentions are very relevant although some need to be adapted for a bander. I don't think carrying a raw carrot with me to snack on would be a very good idea!

[AlienBandit 10]

Gosh I am not yet 3 years out ( a few months shy!) but man do I need to recommit.

I was doing fine for quite some time but then started plastics then hopped back on board only to meet a great guy that satified all my sweet tooth desires ( I live in Korea off base no access to western food). Anyways his moto was clearly "love em and leave em...... FAT" because I am up 8 lbs from when we first met a few months back and now I need to lose that plus the 10 lbs I am already away from my goal weight.

I am recovering yet again from another few surgeries, but come 2 weeks post op ( 11 more days to go) I swear I am going to super glue myself to that band wagon.

Here's me : Banded Oct 2009

band removed due to erosion Feb 2010 replaced July 2010 (Maintained the whole time!)

Starting weight 95kg highest ever 99ish?

now 75 (swollen from surgery, went into it at 73)

lowest 69kg (after 3 months of overfill hell)

target 65kg.

So who's the driver of this thing? I swear I won't be a back seat driver!