Arrogance Got the Best of Me and Now I'm Eating Crow

I was banded in 2009, lost 40 pounds in the first 6 months and then over the next 5 years yo-yo'd with 20-30 pounds. I was in a bad relationship and I was focusing my energy on helping my partner and hiding behind food instead of realizing that I needed to make myself my priority. I regretted my choice of getting banded because it was not as helpful of a tool as I thought it would be. I had not seen a dr for my lap-band since 2012, but still had restriction in my band. I ended my 7 year relationship in January 2014, just over a year ago, when I realized that I was unhappy and started making positive life changes and he would not support or get on board with them.

I lost 70 pounds last year by becoming active and eating good healthy foods. As I lost weight I started having more issues with getting stuck and being unable to eat. I was working out twice a day and unable to get enough food in some days, which was super frustrating. I ended up with a mindset that I was doing all this work all on my own, I didn't need my band, and it was hurting me, not helping. I made an appointment with a dr in January 2015 to get the fluid taken out of my band. Dr was pretty sure my band slipped causing all of my recent eating issues. He has given my 60 days to see how I do without restriction to determine how we move forward. He said if I do well and don't need the band he may remove it.

I am not doing as well as I thought I would. I was so excited to be able to eat again I wanted to experience some foods I had not had, so I treated myself. I have no reason to be overeating right now. I am still on my training schedule for workouts, I am in a great healthy relationship, work is going well...the only thing I can pinpoint was my band outlook. I was so convinced that I didn't need my band and that I did this on my own without it...now I am thinking no, I didn't and it is somehow taking away from my pride in what I accomplished.

I need to cut the crap again and get it in check. In the past month I have put 10 pounds back on and I have set myself back so far from where I was in my journey. I need to get it back in check. I don't want to be reliant on my band for the rest of my life. I want to try to get back on track without the band, but I need to accept that I may need it if I am unsuccessful on my own.

Any words of wisdom? I could use some.

From what you describe, it seems the band was part of the weight loss success you enjoyed.  The fact that you have regained 10 pounds in the past month and "set myself back so far from where I was in my journey" are worth considering for your decision to keep the band or maybe another procedure.

You have a period of time where you can decide if you can loses/maintain your weight without having your band full.  Hopefully that will give you the results to make a decision to keep/remove your band.

As additional support, you could join the Back On Track Together OH Group.

All the best to you!

It's always going to be a battle. For many reasons, I've been "grounded" from running for the last 8 months or so. I get released to work out again in April. I KNOW that running helped maintain, considering I gained a good 15-20lb by not exercising as I had been. That said, I will always have my inner fat girl that wants to eat all the cake, cookies, pie, casseroles, super cheesy lasagna, etc. I know I worked hard with food choices and exercise to drop the weight, but my WLS had a big part to play and still does. That said, celebrate your wins,however they come. We all needed. Little help, or we wouldn't be on this forum. Embrace the new you...band and all!

Hi Mallory,

Research indicates that only 3-5% of OW people can keep the weight off long-term.  I finally acknowledged that I was not one of them after taking 100+ pounds off multiple times  (the 'right way, with sound nutritional help, etc).   I said to a friend, I am not one of the lucky ones, and that being said, what course do I want to take.  I decided to explore WLS and had RYN 2 1/2 months ago.  I am still a newbie on this forum, but I have recently been through the decision making process of how to stop the yo-yo dieting, which left me defeated. 

It sounds as though you are conducting your own experiment to see if you are one of the lucky 3-5% who can keep the excess weight off without medical intervention (drugs or surgery).  Good luck with your analysis and decisions.

I did not think that the lap band was intended to be a long term solution, as may people are having them out and doing the VL or RNY surgery.   (But I am not an expert)