congrats on fitting into your jeans i love when that happens. I had the same thing happen to me with a pair of seven jeans size 14. Second time around stores are good also ebay can work. I sold some of my bigger stuff on it for cheep. My hospital has a clothing swap twice a year. good luck with you weeding shopping. I just got size 10 jeans i never been a 10 in my life.

Of course I did!! I went up and down in weight that I had 5 sizes in my drawers! I was always bummed when I missed out on a pair of pants that were now too big. But on the bright side, they were too big!!

I'd ask your doctor if they do clothing swaps or if they can put you in touch with someone who might be "around" your size. You can also try salvation army or saver's thrift. You might be suprized at what you might find. Just keep in mind that you are transitioning to the new you, so these clothes won't be permanant. Try to get pants that you know can be belted or tailored as you loose. If you are good at sewing sometimes picking a pattern or two and some fabric you like will yield good results. I can't sew but my husband does. It was worth it for us to invest in a good singer machine and some dress/top patterns at the fabric store(go when they have sales). The hardest part is finding fabric that you like. If you are good at it a dress or top might take a weekend or two, or in my husbands case a month. It saved us considerable money when you consider that if you are still "plus size" and are shrinking out of the spicialty shop you are still going to have to spend fifty bucks or more ona top only to shrink out of it? It might be cheaper to sew yourown, and fill in with thrift store jeans and such until goal size /weight is mett. --icestorm

Icestorm-I like what you wrote about your husband sewing. Many moons ago, I made all my clothes. Haven't touched a sewing machine in years and don't want to. I use make a dress in 1-2 days. I worked in one of Boston's largest fabric stores, closed now, and never sewed then either. Have fun with the clothes. The hospital where I go doesn't have enough people for a clothes swap and I am too fussy to swap. Have a great weekend,

Clothes shopping in my 4 or 5 closers, SAME THING!! Yay! I read your entire blog and really liked it a lot. Whats the deal with sister in law? Hugs and good luck with continued process! Sandy

When my daughter was in high school, about 25 years ago, I lost weight and bought a pair of size 8 Calvin Klien jeans from her. Gave her $35 cause she was sick of them, or they were no longer in style. Anyway, I kept those jeans, but can't imagine fitting into them again. The last time I did was maybe 17 years ago, due to another short term diet. I'll be banded in one week, Oct 31st. Maybe I'll make fitting back into those jeans a goal. Is it possible???I can dream.

There's actually a section on lapbandtalk that does clothing exchanges. I've sent a couple boxes of 14-18 clothes out over the past year to fellow lapbanders. I feel better when they go to someone that needs them rather than to the Goodwill that overcharges for things (I just bought a pair of jeans last weekend at the GW and paid $9.00. Granted that same pair new would be about $40, but I think $9 for a pair of used jeans is overpriced!). I went straight from a size 14 to a 10 - never did buy any 12's! I just wore a belt with my pants/jeans till the butt in them became to droopy!

Marci