another plus w/ my band

I have had my band for over 2 years, I am and have LOST VERY SLOW (MY FAULT)  was unfilled and went a year without a new fill, but maintainned) I have come to the conclusion  that with my band, I also, along with with loosing weight am learning, adjusting, fixing my brain, living a new lifestyle, making better choices, buying and feeding my whole family healthier.  ONE day at a time.  so I think that with some of the other WLS's they loose weight so fast, that when they reach goal they are in shock.  How do you guys feel about this?  I think it is wonderful because teaching my brain is 50% of this process.  So when your at a stand still with weight loss, remember to take this time to do some brain work too.  Good Luck

I so agree with you on the ONE day at a time thing with all this learning and adjusting that we have to do.  One of the reasons I got the band is so it could be adjusted and I could make a weightloss schedule that worked for me. I WANTED to do the brain work. Sometimes it seems like life would be way more exciting if the weight just fell right off me and I would drop a whole bunch of sizes and pounds quickly.  BUT I knew that would not work for me long term.

I recently had my one year check up and met with the dietitian in a group setting. I was the only band patient, the others were sleeve and rny. Once the dietitian found out what surgeries they had she changed her talk to all about how to avoid regain because that's something that most rny and sleeves deal with at that mark. Not knowing that; at first I was pretty scared. I thought "Lady, I'm just beginning year 2 of a 3 year plan and you are telling me that I'm going to have to worry about regaining NOW?!"  She said for me not to worry, that loss with the band is usually gradual enough for the changes we make to stick with us longer, esp with my personal plan of 1lb a week.  (thank God!)

This is certainly not an easy journey, being forced to do the brain work, but it's a good one!

Trixie

so true...your brain has to deal with food issues and changes in your body thats for sure.  Very well said!

I agree that the gradual loss is a benefit. I have lost faster than anticipated and I'm not sure that is really a good thing, but what I do know is that I have been making very wise choices on my eating, where I may not have if I'd had another surgery. I know my band is there for me if I run into trouble, not that I intend to. I have the opportunity to work hard and that is something I knew I needed, from the beginning. In fact, pretty much all of my weight loss has been from me working hard, because until last week I haven't had a lot of restriction, except for a 2 wk. period when I kept getting stuck and having to go back on liquids a lot. I went and had a 1cc unfill and went back to hard work. In doing these things I am learning what my body needs to let go of the weight and keep it off rather than the surgery itself telling me.

I am buying and cooking in a much more healthful way and my hubby who has been walking with me lost 12 pounds in the last 6 weeks, too. I didn't have this surgery to get skinny, I had it to deal with my food issues and change for life.

No matter how fast or slow we lose the weight I believe that we have to do the work on our head eventually.  I agree that it should be throughout the journey and if I would have started therapy at the beginning of my WL journey it would only have helped.  I waited a year before finally going to therapy for my issues with food, specifically emotional eating.  It's helped a lot.  I'm learning things about myself that I didn't expect and it's been very enlightning and freeing.  I'm not at fault, I'm not crazy, I'm not lazy or stupid, etc.  I just don't know how to identify and acknowledge my feelings.  Therfore instead of dealing with things up front and head on I eat!

Dealing with the WL is a challenge and it surfaces in many ways.  Personally, I took a mental break when I lost 100 lbs.  It wasn't intentional, but I started acting like I was on maintenence when I still had 35 lbs to lose.  I think I got too confident and started adding back foods I'd given up for the first 9 months post op.  Since then I've had a heck of a time losing more weight and am on a yo-yo losing and gaining the same 10 lbs.

Good post and insight!

Lisa O.