You are the perfect person for whom the band would work!!! Congrats on your loss, you are not far behind me!! I have been at it 18 months!! I have been heavy all my life and dieted my way up to my heaviest I was a binge eater, and, well, just LOVED food. I have a much healthier outlook on food now - well, most of the time.

Just like finding out about the MS. Had I not had GBP, I would have gained 10 pounds in the last week from comforting myself. This can not happen (I actually shed 2 pounds ) now, and instead I turned to research!

Good luck with the last 30 pounds. You can do it... Maybe we ought to work together to reach our goals =)

I feel so blessed that it worked out this way for me to have the l.b. and lose the weight. Now that I know I have ms, I just feel better dealing with everything without the additional weight. At least, knowing that if anyone ever has to help move me around, it won't be such a burden on them. God works his will at appropriate times. My insurance didn't cover the surgery, but I had the exact same amount that it was going to cost as a medical reimbursement from a car accident injury. It just seemed like the thing to do, and as it turned out, it was.

I haven't been doing well working out, with the fatigue and all. But this summer I will have more time to devote to trying to get more exercise. Thank you for your encouraging words. It makes me feel not so alone.

Took steroids 3x - the first time helped - the other two did not and caused long term side effects - so no - I would not take them again -

What type of side effects did they cause for you? That is what I read, that they lose their efficacy after time, and are really only used for certain exacerbations, others they won't help anyhow.

side effects - immediate - huge amount of fluid retention causing need for diuretics -
hyperactive - insomnia
long term - osteoporosis and cataracts - acid reflux and perhaps more
yet to show up -