What is your life like 3+ years after getting banded?

Hi all -

I'm over 3 1/2 years out from my band surgery date and am feeling kind of stuck.  I injured my back in a surfing accident last May and gained 25 lbs. The accident really laid me out.  Prior to this, I had reached 24% body fat and had my band completely emptied so that I could get the volume of food I needed to support a really athletic lifestyle.  It's hard to eat upwards of 2500 calories a day with this thing in the way!

I never envisioned myself gaining this much weight back, but here I am.  I'm seeing a bariatric nutritionist again, and have had my band filled up.  I feel like I'm starting from scratch, having to relearn how to eat like a bandster.  I'm frustrated at how hard adjusting back to this way of life has been.  My energy level is low and it's affecting my ability to exercise. I miss the full belly feeling.  It takes me an hour or longer to eat my meals. Sometimes in the morning, it's a struggle to get even a hot latte down (common with the realize band for whatever reason).  I'm angry that I have to go through this again.  I don't have the motivation that I did for the first two years of this journey.

What is your life like now? Have you gained a significant amount of weight back?  Have you gone through anything similar to what I am now?  I'd love to hear your stories to help me see the bigger picture and help me shift to a positive frame of mind. How have you dealt with anger and frustration? 

xo,
-e

I gained some weight back but not due to an injury.  I was unable to get the necessary fills after losing my insurance.  Then had to get band unfilled and its a hard road starting over.  That innocent determination is gone.  However I am determined to get back on track and get the added weight back off along with a few more pounds.  I have yet to get filled to my previous capacity.  The plan is to start getting filled in March.  I am detoxing my body with the Master Cleanse this week.  Preparing my mind and body to get back to basics.  Wish you success. 
Z

I am so sorry you are struggling. 

Next month will be my three year anniversary.  The first 18 monthsa was such a struggle for me so I understand what you are going through now.  Most people lose most of their weight during thier first year...that's not how it worked for me.  I did badly my first year...I was still over 300lbs.  I was able to turn my fortune around when I discovered exercise.  I threw myself totally into my routine and I lost 150+ lbs.  I am a workout nut!!!!  I have lowered my cholesterol and blood pressure.  I eat healthy but I don't eat like a bird  (at dinner time..breakfast is my tight time).  I actually had to add food back into my diet because I was working out so hard I got dizzy and needed more nutrtion.  I haven't gained my weight back but I do have another 50 lbs to lose.  I am gearing up to run my first 5K next month so I am hoping with my extra training I will kick start my weight loss.  But honestly Going from 354 to 200 has been a wonderful journey.  I am doing things I never thought I would do again.  Not only am I running 5Ks now but I will be planning a trip to Central America to visit my daugher when she is in the Peace Corp...I would have NEVER done that at 354 lbs!!!!!  What motivates me are pictures of me at 354 lbs.  What motivates me is my goal to run a marathon one day!!! 

But I do know the anger and the frustration you speak of and I can only say that I would never want to feel that way again.  You need to take one hour at a time (not even a day at a time) plan your meals and don't go off your plan.  Plan some activities to burn calories and go no matter what...I still don't want to go sometimes.  But I aways feel great afterwards.  I take up hobbies to fill in up my time...like gardening, bike riding or cross stitching or knitting (all hobbies of mine by the way) because it's better than just sitting around feeling sorry for yourself.  I use to feel sorry for myself a lot.  I also had great friends and a great daughter that were great cheerleaders that cheered every pound I lost.  And every time I had doubts or back slides they were there too.  This is not a time for mean crappy people in your life.  Come on here every day to stay accountable...accountability is also important.  I had people waiting to hear how much I lost every Friday...good or bad...ACCOUNTABILITY...I didn't always like it but it kept me trying!!!  

Good luck...most important don't give up...if I had I would still be over 300llbs.... 

April will be my four year anniversary.  I am about 20 lbs. above my lowest weight.  I was throwing up and had fluid removed twice and each time I gained about 10 lbs.  I have bounced around up and down 10 lbs over the last two years.  But all in all I am still happy with my band and would rather fight a few pounds than take a chance on having it too tight and losing it.  I get tired of "dieting" and I eat the wrong foods sometimes but for the most part I eat well, I can just eat too much.  I will go back for a fill soon I am sure.  I am a work in progress for sure.

Theresa

I am not 3 years out yet, but will say that Weigh****chers helps me with maintaining.

The accountability of a monthly weigh in keeps me focused and the meal plan is sensible and do-able for me.

Sorry to read that you are struggling .......wish you the best

I will be 3 out on 3/31.  I recently had to have a total unfill (it wasn't necessary but my NP insisted) and I have gained 20 pounds.  I am very frustrated!!

I've had one fill since then of only 5cc's and I've gained weight since then...going today to speak with the surgeon and hoping she will get me back to restriction and somewhere close to where I was to begin with...

I am over 3 years out and coming up on the 4th in June...... I gained 10 from having a groin pull in September then had to have an unfill in November and gained 17 from November till January 26th when I got some fill back.....not enough though and I still don't have much restriction.......

Michele

Well I'm 4+ yrs. out and hate my band more each day. I constantly kept getting tighter so had my band unfilled several months ago. While I haven't gained it is only by my self control that I haven't. I am eating healthier since I can finally eat some meats again and veggies but still have issues with heartburn. I can only deal with it by accepting that I am what I am and fat or skinny I'm a great person and worthy just because I am. I try to just carry on my normal life and hope for a revision one day.

I'm a little over 3 years out. I've had a pretty crazy roller coaster ride of fills, unfills trying to muddle my way through. It took a long time to figure out that each bandsters journey is SO vastly different that you can't really compare yourself. It feels like I've fought regain (like 30 lbs) more times than I've lost. But I still don't regret a moment of it all. My band gave me a fighting chance to live life again. And boy have I been capturing the moments these last few years.

I've just dealt with the set backs. I get back to my healthy habits when I remember. The healthy days of awareness and purpose usually run in cycles. But then I slack off again. I'm actually a very poor example of a good bandster. But I get points for never giving up. I eventually get back on the wagon.

At one point I was just shy of a 100 lb loss. I'm up a bit from there at this point, but I'm not too worried about it. I still lose a lb here or there, but I'm not actively counting calories and I'm not hitting the gym. I'm just out there living life.... and trying to get through my first pregnancy.

BTW- this is what living life has looked like the last few years.

 Tiff, thanks for this.  This is exactly the kind of perspective I need.  Despite this recent setback, I really am living life in a way that I wouldn't be without the band.  

Isn't the pacific northwest beautiful?  I spend a lot of time on the Oregon coast in the summer with my surf crew.  We frequent Oswald West and other beaches between Astoria and Manzanita.

Thanks again for sharing.  This totally made my day.

xo,
-e