Way To Go Watson!

Check out his long journey to success and living life as it's meant to be lived post-op at goal

Celebrating a Non-Scale Victory – Zip Lining

Why would the band make you lose hair? There are two reasons for hair loss after weight loss surgery. One is the anaesthetic, and that doesn't wait 5 years to kick in; the other is dramatic weight loss which you say you haven't had. Unless you are unable to eat and so are totally malnourished - but then you would have lost weight! 

I'm looking to get the band Out I will be going to UNC hospital in NC.

agreed! It's hard to explain to people why you haven't lost much weight when you are having trouble eating. They think that's a bonus for weight loss, but in my case what it means is I have trouble eating healthy foods. The tightness of my band allows sugary  or highly processed foods (if I go slowly) since they break down immediately. However, the healthy stuff like fruits, veggies and meats are extremely hard to do some days. Especially prior to dinnertime my band is too tight for solids, and by the time it loosens enough to eat, I want to eat whatever I know I can get down easily and quickly because I'm HUNGRY. (I try to make that things like cottage cheese and yogurt, but get bored and move on to ice cream,etc at times.)

I am beyond frustrated as well. The band was not the best surgery for me. I am an emotional eater and find my drug of choice, sugar, still goes down easily. In fact, my band is so tight that some days all I can get down are smooth processed foods, which gives me an excuse to pull out the soothing ice cream. (one gets sooo tired of protein drinks and yogurt, after all.) My connection with eating and self-soothing is so obvious to me now. In fact, after my surgery in 2006 I started to lose some weight. (I lost 20 on pre-surgery fast, and then 30 more after.)Then, men started to notice me and talk to me. I panicked and almost could hear the steel door slamming shut on my weight loss. (Turns out that fat women are practically invisible to both men and women, and the attention I started to get-even just friendly chatting- frightened me. People were "seeing" me and it was unnerving!)

Anyway, even though I eat pretty healthy most of the day, in the evening my sugar addiction (which is fierce!) kicks in and I always give in to it. I give in in a big way too. I have tried to avoid thinking about it, but probably consume betweek 500-1000 cal. a day in sweets. (Like a pint of Ben&Jerrys.) Since the surgery, I lost 40 pounds, gained back 90, and lost 70. I now sit at a 235# and although it's better than pre-op 265#, it's not all that inspiring.

I just started posting here because I am so frustrated and disgusted. I have bipolar/depressed type but when on the heavy duty meds I am a zombie. So, cutting back the meds allows me to be awake and more clear-headed so I can actually work, but then I seek comfort in more sugar. (It really is a drug cycle for me, in that the more I eat the more I crave, and I think about my next fix all day long.) I also have severe anemia (taking iron for that), and am so exhausted that I can't drag myself to exercise. I know this is all a bunch of excuses, but I guess my point is that the band is not for everyone, and it was not the right decision for me. Wish I'd done bypass :(