Be Honest, ARE YOU HAPPIER??

[HeatherO 7]

I am also happier and I eat whole healthy foods, without trouble, 99% of the time. The band keeps me from being hungry. As long as I am filled to my sweet spot and not to tight, healthy foods go down without issue.

I have lost my excess weight and live a healthy, normal lifestyle with food being something I need to keep going instead of a constant obsession. Really, I couldn't be happier with the band than I am right now.

[LORSIS27 0]

Happier? YES!!! I feel better! I do not have constant pain in my feet and back. I am not constantly sweating and out of breath. I am off my high blood pressure meds. I can buy normal clothes. Yes when I get filled I have to stick with liquids until it loosens up but so what!!! I was banded Dec. 19th 2008 and have lost about 70 lbs. I know other have lost more but I'm so happy. Slow but sure it is coming off. YES I am happier NOW!!! NO I do not like taking vitamins...never did even when I was fatter so that didn't change. NO I don't like not eating and eating and eating whatever whenever I want. But I think it's a good trade off. Hang in there!! You will be happier in the long run!

[HandInHand 0]

Absolutley happier. I can move without pain. I can wear whatever I want. I can keep up with my dogs and just about any child. I am almost off all my meds. I eat everything just in small portions. I don't rely on shakes or bars (although I do love some Protein bars!!). Occasionally I feel like I am going to throw up but that is only when I eat to fast or I am finding that if I am mad or upset I must eat slower. I wouldn't trade this for anything in the world. For the first time in my life FOREVER thin AND healthy will happen. That is worth everything to me

[lonestar5212 0]

Beyond happy. I am finally becomng the person I think I was meant to be my whole life if my weight had not prevented me from completely blossoming. You are right, satisfied customers tell one person, unsatisfied customers tell everyone! Just to let you know, I had my surgery in March of 08, am down 70 pounds, have never thrown up, not even once. After last months fill, I have had a couple of times where I didn't chew well enough and it was a little uncomfortable going down, but that is it. I had great restriction after my 4th fill, and took a few months off of getting fills because I just didn't need one. When I lost the 70 pounds, things loosened up and I got back on the fill wagon. I have had three now, and I am back where I was as far as restriction goes, and things are going well again. There is lots of success and happiness out here. You can be one of us, you just need to talk to your surgeons office and figure out what is the missing link in your journey. This is a life alternating decision. You will be forever changed and forever happier.

[Jodi_620 37]

Thanks for all the reply's. Jodi your reply hit the nail on the head for me, so I called the doctors office and made an app. to get another fill.

Thank You :blushing:

Brad A. :tongue2:

I am very happy to hear that Brad.

Good Luck!

[neverB4 2]

Hey Brad. I was banded by Dr. Antonetti. Do you attend any of the support grps and/or keep in touch with Emily? I was surprised of your progress since your banding. I don't know your personal story but can say their program works!! I just had my 4th "free" fill and am at 5cc in my 10cc band. As I was told during their pre-op class and by James, I think I'm finally at my sweet spot of restriction. Have you been following their program? I just can't see how you've only lost 2lbs and have only had 3 fills after one whole yr. They keep me on track every 6wks with follow-ups and fills...may I ask why you've only had 3? They seem so stringent on their program.....

[food expert 1]

I am a little over halfway to my weight loss goal and I am so much happier. This week I actually had the nerve to go into "normal" stores such as the Gap and tried on a Medium size shirt. It fit too!! I know that I will be even happier in another 30-40 pounds...

However, if the band wasn't working for me I wouldn't be happier.

[tyme4change 1]

I am very happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Nya 0]

YES I'm happier, I am sorry to say this but, if you have lost only 2 lbs after a year, then you may be eating refined sugars and things that are easy that slip thru the band, chocolate candy bars, hard candy, cakes, Cookies, chips, pudding, shakes, those things are so easy to eat, believe you me, I know because I did not lose weight until I left that stuff alone and started focusing on what I should be doing. I am not in any way being judgmental I know how hard it is I was 5 feet tall 290+ lbs. I did not lose any weight for at least 3 months after my band, in fact I started to gain weight. I was in denial and I knew how to get full regardless of the band. Now I love it and I am doing what I have to do. It's a tool. Not a quick fix, it's just something to help us. Maybe you need gastric bypass or a sleeve. There are other Bariatric Opttions.

Good luck!

Keep your head up!

[sadie11 2]

Okay, let me give you some history on my band. I was banded in OCT 07 by Doctor Givens in Columbia S.C.. The procedure went fine, I actually played golf 4 days later.

My starting weight was 345. My current weight after 3 fills is 343. I know AWESOME, right? I feel hardly no restriction. Every now and then something will get stuck and my mouth will start to get bile in it and I start burping, other then that I feel nothing.

I'M SCARED TO GET ANOTHER FILL!! WANT TO KNOW WHY?

The Answer: I came on this site and saw all of these horror stories! My band is slipping, I can only eat yougurt, everything i eat gets stuck, Im throwing up all the time, the doctor poked a hole in my tube, im not losing weight, im not happy.

ARE WE HAPPIER BEING FAT?

What I understood when I got the band is that when its filled properly, that I would be able to eat from a 1/4 cup to a 1/2 a cup of food. That I would lose weight slowly and feel healthy.

I want to eat NORMAL food ( not JUNK ) and be able to feel full quicker, but from what I read it doesnt sound like thats what going to happen.

I feel like this: WILL I BE A HAPPIER PERSON AT 343 OR DO I WANT TO BE 230 AND THROWING UP ALL THE TIME AND LOOKING LIKE DEATH B/C IM NOT GETTING THE Vitamins I NEED.

Let me know what u think!

Brad A.

Hey Brad - I want to be a normal person too but if you weigh 343 then you are not a normal person- normal people weigh 160.

Grow up and stop whining- you just don't want to give up your food or should I say your drug. It's my drug too and I don't want to give it up either.

But I want to live more than eat. It's your choice but stop blaming the band and get with the program. Or start playing lots of golf now because you won't be playing when you are 70- you'll be dead or on oxygen.

And that's the truth buddy....

[kgloverii 0]

Hey Brad - I want to be a normal person too but if you weigh 343 then you are not a normal person- normal people weigh 160.

Grow up and stop whining- you just don't want to give up your food or should I say your drug. It's my drug too and I don't want to give it up either.

But I want to live more than eat. It's your choice but stop blaming the band and get with the program. Or start playing lots of golf now because you won't be playing when you are 70- you'll be dead or on oxygen.

And that's the truth buddy....

Ouch, that was a little harsh...

[Donna113 2]

I'm a lot happier for all the reasons the other posters have stated earlier but the HAPPIEST part is that food no longer controls me. If I'm busy, I "forget" to eat. That hasn't happened in so many years. So far I've only lost 30 lbs but what a difference that has made for me both physically and mentally. Again, the best part is food no longer controls me.

[Donna113 2]

Sadie, you put a new "tough" into tough love...

I love your line "One M&M is too many and a thousand is not enough!"

[foxychick04 0]

Hi - I haven't read all the replies so I apologise if I'm repeating what has already been said.

Am I happier? Yes but not just because of the band. I had to deal with other things in my life that was making me miserable as well. I was banded in OCT 07 and for the 1st 10 months I lost about 14 pounds which I was disappointed in but during that time I had to adjust to the band - it's not as simple as eating less and it took me a while to adjust to that concept. Every fill I have feels like I'm back to the beginning again but I haven't given up on it although sometimes I do have breaks (eat chocolate, ice cream and mash potatoes!)

Try not to put too much pressure on yourself, it is great to read other stories but everyone has to build their own story and what works for one may not work for another, its your journey.

It's very important to be honest with yourself and really look at why you are not losing weight. The truth is if you put in less food you will lose weight eventually so there must be something that is not working for you.

For me I realised that when I found it hard to eat I would switch to the slimey (high caloried) foods which although I didn't put weight on with because I had some restriction, it took me ages to lose weight. I realised I had to embrace chewing slowly, small portions and listening to my body and not my head.

Like I said I still struggle but now I've lost a total of 43 pounds and I'm very happy about it - I look in the mirror a lot more now!

The answer is there you've just got to find it.

[Locomotive Engineer 0]

Yes, I am for sure happier. Diabetes and high blood pressure is gone and so is the depression. And let me tell you brother the depression was getting REAL BAD! I was have horrible thoughts. Hang in there and work with your doctor. If something is wrong then pressure him until he has an accurate diagnosis and have him or her fix the problem if it's fixable.