Today is my bandiversary... yippiddy doo dah.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

Okay so I thought it was supposed to be more exciting. Well, I don't feel excited or much of anything really.

I think I'm too tight. Period.

I was reading through some of the threads and it occurred to me why I might be resorting to eating too many slider foods. It hurts to eat the good stuff. I hate it, and YES I eat slow, and YES I take tiny bites. For goodness sake it takes me an hour just to eat a tiny plate. It's annoying! I hate it! :crying:

I have a very unhealthy relationship with my band. PS, I'm posting this here to the newbies hopefully wont' see this, but there is a chance they might. Hey, though the band isn't all creampuffs and rainbows okay? Some of us are hard headed and have a more difficult time figuring it out.

I've only lost a bit over 40 Lbs. with it all year. I lost more weight on my own even! I'm not bashing the band, it's my own fault. I just think my expectations of it were a bit skewed. I didn't get really great advice from my Doctor or I just wasn't listening. I'm not sure. He does stress that being too tight is NOT a good thing. He was right.

It doesn't help now that I have arthritis in my knees greatly reducing my ability to workout. One day I'm mighty woman and the next I can't even stay on the exercise bike for more than 20 Minutes.

Well whatever. Rant over. I guess I just wanted to gripe a little bit. One year down, and here's hoping I can start over in this my year two.

Best wishes to everyone, and Congratulations on all of you who have "figured it out".

[SuzanneG 1]

I agree, you sound too tight. I have the exact same problem. I haven't lost weight since early December. I'm miserable and tired of fighting with this too tight band. I'm going Friday to get more Fluid out. He put .6cc in and made me too tight. Took .2 back out and was better but not good. He said maybe .1cc more needed to come out, but at this point, I almost want to ask for .2cc out this time too.

Get a slight unfill and eat the right foods and I'm sure the scale will start to move for you again.

[Beachcomber3 0]

It is my one year anniversary too! I have lost 35 lbs. I know exactly how you feel. Congrats to both of us for losing some weight. :crying:

Edited February 12, 2009 by Beachcomber3
wrong word

[coolcrystal 1]

I think its sad that people are scared to say anything bad about the band for fear of being ridiculed about it or scaring people.

I think newbies need to see all aspects of the possibilities of the band. I'm glad that a year before I got the band I researched the heck out of it and especially on here that way I knew everything that could happen.

For some the band has been perfect the entire time, for some it hasn't.

The truth is, some people can never find the perfect sweet spot with it.. it will either be too tight or too lose. People will say "get an unfill".. then you get an unfill and you are too lose... then they will say "get a fill" and you get a fill and you are too tight. lol. It will be a neverending cycle of fills and unfills.

This is why I honestly believe the band doesn't work for everybody. For a majority, yes, but not for everybody.

You have done amazing really with the 40 lb loss, but if one isn't getting any Protein in or eating good foods, how healthy can they be in the end?

I don't know.. I'm rambling right now.. forgive me.. lol.

[tapshoes 2]

LilMiss - I can understand being disappointed that your weight loss didn't meet your expectations. And then throw in the difficulty in eating 'good food' and now, your knee issues.

I truly am sorry for these challenges you face. I hope you have the strength and determination to carry on.

[Lori_K 0]

The truth is, some people can never find the perfect sweet spot with it.. it will either be too tight or too lose. People will say "get an unfill".. then you get an unfill and you are too lose... then they will say "get a fill" and you get a fill and you are too tight. lol. It will be a neverending cycle of fills and unfills.

The very truth there Coolcrystal. I don't think I've ever hit a "sweet spot". It has been back and forth with fills. I just thank God for a caring doctor & dietitian that has been helping me deal with this.

LilMissDiva, I am very sorry that your bandiversary was not what you wanted it to be. I hope the following year your relationship with your band will be a more positive one. I'm with you on being hardheaded - I still eat way too fast, and get stuck too often.

It's probably very little comfort, but try and enjoy what you have lost. I hope a slight unfill will help you too. God bless you and please always keep in touch here in these forums, and let us know how you are doing. I agree again with Coolcrystal - we all should be able to share our feelings, the good times and the bad, without any fear of ridicule. The Victorious Valentines of 2008 have felt like a special family to me. I often feel like I'm not communicating what is truly in my heart, but please know my thoughts and heart are with you.

(((warmest hugs)))

[BlessedTwice 1]

I totally agree with you. My one year anniversary is coming up. I have not lost as much as I would have liked. I too have just recently been diagnosed with arthiritis in my knees. They are constantly in main. I'm hoping that maybe its worse because of the cold and its better once Spring is here. Forty pounds is still awesome! Congrats!!

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

Everyone,

Thank you so much for your encouraging thoughts and words, it really meant alot! I do have to try to be happy in that I did lose some weight - I know that.

My slight unfill is on Friday and I hope for the best on that. I think the stresses of other things going on in my life play a big part in my tightness.

You guys are the best - we may be a small group now but I can't ask for a better group with such understanding. :tongue2:

I hope all of your Bandiversaries are so much better than mine... LOL

[StLouisGal 1]

LilMiss, You are doing great! I understand exactly how you feel, I think I am probably too tight, or maybe not, I have a cold and I think that is making it tighter because I have a pain in my back when I eat more than just a little. I find myself eating the wrong things for comfort because they go down easier. I know that is why I haven't lost anything lately.

I love my band but there are days when I would happily rip it out. I don't say that very often because, like Crystal says, it seems to be taboo to say anything bad about it. The band is like anything else, it has it's up days and it's down days.

Winter is a hard time, we aren't getting as much Vitamin D, not as much sunlight, it's cold, etc. those are all things that make us want to have a pity party for ourselves. We have to hang together and keep on keepin on. If you lose 40 pounds a year for the next six years you will be all gone. (that was a joke, so laugh, OK) I had hoped to be below 200 lbs by now but it didn't happen. Give yourself a break and hit it again. I'm glad you got an unfill and are more comfortable now. Sorry about the knees, I don't have any magic cure for that, but I have arthritis in mine too so I know what you are talking about. The cold weather is really hard on them and the limited medications we can take makes it doubly hard. You hang in there!

Love you!