Regrets?

I have regrets. I had surgery on June 17th of this year and have lost 23 pounds. I lost 17 of these pounds in the first month. I am not a good dieter and this is why I had surgery because I needed help. I wish I had RNY surgery because this is quite disappointing. I read post after post and all I hear is how well everyone is doing. I have 8cc's in a 9cc band. I have tried pouch tests, dieting, walking, and my weight is not moving. I can tell that i have a band because I eat half of what I once did. I visit this site regularly hoping to find someone that fits my scenario so that I can feel positive about this. I have a great surgeon and he has been very supportive, but I really regret doing this to myself. I really do not want to hear any negative responses, I have enough ill feelings already. Good Luck Dolly! I wish I had followed my first mind!! Do more research and check out other sites because that is where I fell short.

Let me post my experience and you can use it in your research for which surgery would be best suited for you.
I had my surgery on March 14, 2008.  My start weight was 253 and I am currently at 180.  That is about 70 pounds of loss.  I have a realize band that currently has 6cc's of fluid in it.  I am due to have a fill this Thursday.  So as for if I would do it again...yes I would.  The first week after surgery I was totally wishing I was dead!  Really I thought about it several times.  Everyone keeps saying that you are not hungry due to swelling and so on...not me I was starving!  It was pure tourture to have 5mls of clear liquid every 15 mins.  I wanted to jump in a river and just drink.  This surgery has not been easy at all for me.  I have given up all of the following: bread, anything carbonated, sugar and junk food.  So now that I can only eat less than half of what I ate before and I do not eat anything unhealthly I think I am doing good.  I meet lots of people who do not give up any of the "fun" foods.  I am still a chip eatter.  I can down some chips but over all I have commited to a life style change and it is really hard.  A really good friend of mine had RNY 3 years ago and she is doing great.  She tells me that I should have had the RNY because she still eats what she wants just in tiny portions and is a size 4.  She was a 24 so this is a huge deal.  My whole idea was to create a healthier me.  Up until August I was working out 3 times a week.  I have not worked out since August and I have noticed a huge change.  Not in a good way.  I feel like my arms are getting flabby and so on.  Please I hope not to offend anyone by my post I just wanted to let you know what I have done to get to where I am.  I hope to reach a goal weight of 130 since I am 4 11 and not even 5 ft tall.  Well I hope this helps.  Please ask any questions I am not bashful!

Thank you so much I really need to hear that. I know it's going to be a journey but it's one that I must take to get my health back on track because I have two little girls that are counting on me to pull myself together. You are doing great and I am looking up to you, becasue you are on the right track.

It is really hard.  I have a 2 and 3 year old.  They are why I did it.  I could not keep up with them.  Now everyday we walk to the mail box and I can chase them around without getting winded.  It is so hard I can not stress that enough though.  I do have moments when I think to myself I should have gotten the RNY.  I see people who have had the RNY and the weight just seems to melt off.  Then I see people like my good friend who is actually trying to gain a little weight.  Gastric Banding is not easy but if you want to make a life style change it can work.  I have really bad days.  For example right before my period I will eat some chocolate.  It is crazy since I don't eat sugar then once a month I will eat chocolate and it is so good!  I have told my husband eatting healthly makes bad food taste better.  Let me explain.  I use to eat candy and fried food allllllll of the time.  I lived at Whataburger.  My favorite breakfast was...a #1 no onions extra pickels extra mustand cheese what-a-sized with either a rootbeer or chocolate shake.  I ate it so often and loved it.  Now that I eat healthly when I do have a "moment" an eat something that I know I will not be eatting everyday...it taste so much better!  I look forward to my period because I know it means that I will be eatting my Symphony bar!!!  I am currently in a phase where I feel that I am not doing as well as I could since I have not been working out.  I work at NASA and today I am going on a fun run with some coworkers during lunch so this should help me get back on track.  Please anyone talk to me.  I do not have any gastric banding friends and would really love to meet some people who actually understand the looks on my face while I am eatting!  Love you all no matter what surgery your choose.  All of our bodies are different and our lifes are different.  If my husband wasn't so supportative I would have choosen RNY.  I should also put that out there.  If I had to do it again and had no support...I would have chosen RNY.  I owe a lot of my sucess to my husband being willing to change where we eat and how we eat.  The band is not fool proof.  Sorry for all of the typos I am tired and people keep walking up to me at my desk.  Talk to you all soon!
Audrey

I know this is the Realize Band Forum, so I will refrain from doing any band bashing.  However, I would strongly suggest that you do your research regarding the band.  You should really visit the other forums on this website.  There is a complications forum and a regrets forum that I found really helpful.  Please do your research.   Especially if the Lap Band is not your only option.