Starting Over

thank you!  good for you on the weight loss.  I am trying to really listen to the "band"  its helping.  I appreciate all the care and advice

One thing I want to tell you is, it is not your fault.  Some people have luck with the band, others do not.  I was one of the latter.  My band experience was full of "bumps".  I would constantly get stuck....nothing like being in a restaurant and having to bolt to the bathroom to get it up!  Esophageal spasms, abdominal pain, and dealing with a FICKLE, FICKLE band about did me in.  No, it wasn't band placement....it was perfect.  No, it wasn't my Dr.  He was a renowned Lap Band physician...sought by many!!!!  I blamed myself for years, and all it got me was a rapid spiral into the deepest, darkest depression of my life.  I fought and fought thinking I needed to perfect what I was doing, and I would be successful.  I would still be fighting if the band hadn't made that decision for me.  It irritated my stomach so badly, I was having constant pain, and as a result had to have the band removed.  I am thankful I didn't have vagus nerve damage.  The Dr. that removed my band said my stomach was very irritated....by an (at that point for months) empty band.  I hope you can find the "sweet spot" that always eluded me.  I waxed and waned from too tight to too loose...all within hours.  It has taken me a year and a half to get my mind back to a state to consider a revision surgery.  I am in the process of being approved for the VSG.  I have researched it diligently, and it appears that, though not without issue, it is all the band promised but never was for me.  I hope you get back on track, and I'm sure some of the successful bandsters will give you some good advice, but my advice is...stop being so hard on yourself.  The band is a fickle little booger that some can never make peace with.

Hi CJ

I do agree with you this band thing can be fickle.  Sometimes I could eat an entire cheeseburger and it not get stuck and then there woudl be times when I cannot even eat scrambled eggs without it getting "stuck".  It makes no sense to be honest.  Not that I should be eating an entire cheeseburger! :)  I do think for me part of the problem is wanting to eat like a "normal" person.  Well if I had eaten like a so called normal person I would have never needed the band in the first place.  And now having the band definitely not.  Which is okay because that is the whole point isnt it.  I hear so many be so happy they had the band.  I wish I was one of them.  My goal at this point is to start having fills again to see whats best for me and as Phyllis said really LISTEN to my band!  and be willing to stop! I am in counseling.  There has been so much on my plate the last few years that its a blessing finally I can just work on me and my eating/addiction or disorder.  Whatever you want to call it.  Once I reach a weight I am happy with - which will be for health purposes mostly - Im going to probably have the band taken out.  I hope I dont have any issues removing it!!  Thanks for sharing CJ.

Hang in there!  I agree, there are many who love their band, but for every one with success, I bet there are two who have major issues.  But, as long as your band is not bothering you otherwise, you have a chance!  It's just that darn "sweet spot"... I hope you find it!!!!