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I'm at the same place you are. I look better than ever, but I see the loose arm skin and the belly fat. I always thought that people who wore a size 10 were thin. Well, I don't think that anymore, but I do think I'm normal. I had quite the revelation this year, when I went to parent's night at the high school and realized that in almost every class, I was the thinnest person in the room. Yeah, maybe I'm not "fat" anymore, I'm not sure I'll ever feel thin. One more thing....after years of being the fat girl, I find I'm an advocate for every overweight person out there. Whenever someone trashes someone for being overweight, I am always chewing them out. The minute you lose weight, the thin people start telling you about the fat and lazy so-and-so they know. I feel the need to point out that they have no clue what obesity feels like and most overweight people have spend years trying to lose weight by any means possible. I may look normal, but I'll always be a part of the fat team. Cindy

I agree that offices have a financial stake in your decision, but there is a HUGE difference in surgical practices. I was involved with one practice 4 years ago and I always felt a little uncomfortable... I didn't feel like they knew me at all, it just seemed like they were making me jump through the hoops but didn't really care about my success. At that time my workplace's insurance covered the band, and I had a lot of co-workers who go it. They all decided after a year that "it doesn't work", I think because they weren't properly prepared for how much THEY were going to have to do. They seemed to eat anything they wanted and then complain that the surgery was a failure and a scam and nobody should ever get it. My practice now... it felt different from the first info meeting. The actual surgeons and nutritionists were there. The office does all different sorts of surgeries- bypass, LapBand, Realize Band, so they gave their ups & downs of each surgery. I got a big binder chock full of info about the pre-surgery process, and my post-surgery directions. They have free monthly support groups. I can call or email my nutritionist any time if I have questions. I feel like they KNOW me, and I am so comfortable there. My nutritionist came to the hospital to check on me on the day after surgery. I fully feel that they have my best interests at heart. So my advice is, if you begin to go down this road, trust your gut! If you go to a seminar and start to feel like something isn't clicking, or isn't right with the practice you're in, don't stay!

For me, personally, I know I'm at my sweet spot for the following reasons: I can no longer eat a full sized hamburger, plus green Beans and tots all in one sitting (could do this prior to my 4th fill) I am satisfied off of Protein shake (I have this for breakfast) and forget to eat lunch now because I have NO hunger...the hunger is all but gone I had 3 oz of a tuna steak last night and could not eat any more of it. Straight up protein fills you up once you're at the sweet spot I will HURT if I eat too fast. Before my 4th fill? I could eat at my 'normal' pace. These are just a couple examples of how different it is once you reach restriction. For me, it was instant. The night of getting my 4th fill I was like woooooooooooooaaaaaaaah, this is totally different. The Water I was drinking was gurgling as it was going down (I was swollen from the fill, I was fine the next day [no gurgling]). I know you gals' frustration. I had to wait almost 5 months to get restriction. But holy smokes, now that I have it??? The 4.5 months of toughing it out is well worth it. I lost almost 30lbs in those 4 months. Something I don't think I could of done without the band. Your mileage may vary, this is how it works for me personally.

I was banded on April 11th 2011. I just got off the liquid diet and have lost 23 pounds while on liquids and 75 pounds since I started the program. I get my first fill in a week.

Well I agree and disagree with the other posters... The key to losing fat - (I say fat because even muscle loss = weight loss and who wants to lose muscle?) is understanding and applying the energy balance PLUS understanding how your body uses food as fuel and how those fuels differ (carbs, fats, Proteins, alcohol). Your body has a strong will to survive. It will not voluntarily give up its' fat stores. You have to coax and burn them off. You do this by creating a calorie deficit created by BOTH exercise and reduced food intake. Creating this deficit by intake alone will not take an obese person down to a healthy body fat percentage - at best, it will create a skinny fat person. Calories In Vs. Calories Out is a bit too simplistic. 1000 calories of cotton candy and 1000 calories of skinless chicken breast are profoundly different. The difference in insulin response alone (not to mention other body chemistry) is huge! All calories are not equal. Ponder this... "Joe" eats 1000 calories a day, day after day. He needs to lose 100 pounds. This low calorie diet gives him a deficit of 2000 calories a day. By this calculation he should be able to completely lose his excess body weight in 175-200 days....(Bet he doesn't)... But what if he continues this trend for several years? Does he completely disappear? Of course not. Because it's not just about calories in/calories out - it's about managing your metabolism via your energy balance. I eat 1000 calories some days - I eat over 3000 other days. I still have challenging food demons, but I manage them. If I'm going to eat cheat foods, I do so on planned high calorie days. By cycling calories this way - combined with a challenging exercise schedule consisting of both strength and cardiovascular training - I keep my metabolism white hot. My body fat percentage continues to fall, while the scale stays relatively stable (small lean muscle tissue gains). This lifestyle allows fat loss on calorie deficit days and muscle gains on calorie surplus days. There are several scenarios of posts on LBT that leave me grumbling... One of them is very low calorie diets. People who eat very low calories (600-1000) love the weight loss they initially see. But how much of that weight is lost muscle? Your body is a machine. If it's being starved is it going to give up metabolically active lean muscle tissue which is high maintenance to keep - or fat stores which costs next to nothing to maintain? Some of both, but the ratio is going to tip toward the lean muscle tissue. As muscle tissues decline, your body adjusts it's metabolism in a fight to avoid starvation, the weight loss slows and then comes the unavoidable - yet easily predicted plateau. They havn't lost weight in months, but hey, plateau's are normal right? No... they aren't normal - they mean your body has adjusted your metabolism accordingly to try to stave off starvation. It won't give up without a fight. But their doctor prescribed the 800 calorie low carb diet, so that must not be it... :tt2: Here's another one... I've read a lot of posts where people are eating 1000 calories and gaining weight and they try to suggest it's muscle gains... Not a chance... It is physiologically impossible to maintain that large of a calorie deficit and gain muscle tissue, which actually requires a calorie surplus. One person is starving themselves eating 800 low carb calories a day, while at the same time I sit here on a high calorie day snacking on Peanut M&M's dipped in Peanut Butter. "So Brad, if your so damned smart and think this is so easy, then why did you get so fat you needed WLS?" Because I didn't understand the energy balance and how my body used fuel and how those fuel types differ - BUT now I do... And I want everyone else to know too... It may be simple - but it isn't easy... The band is a great tool to help you achieve your goals. Your body is a wonderful efficient machine when properly understood. Fuel it appropriately and it will reward you! Good Luck! Brad

I cant tell you how much the lap band has changed my life!

Even if you can eat or drink at the same time you shouldnt from day one. You are not supposed to drink 15 minutes before a meal or 30 after a meal after surgery.

For those of you wanting motivation and to see MANY before and after photos I spent a few hours one day sitting on my butt and googling weight loss photos. I stumbled onto two great discussion forums with a bunch of before and after pics. Two resources are - a Dr Atkins forum and the other is a generic weight loss forum . These are direct links to only the before and after picture forum threads. Hover over the links, you'll see the link address, this is not spam links, I assure you. These do not pertain to the lapband so I wouldnt read any diet advice, but great b and a pics! Enjoy!

HI!!! I Was banded 5-8-08! 3 years ago. I lost 100lbs. I was Banded by Dr. Malley in Overland Park, KS! I am in a contest right now to win an IPAD! Please go to www.facebook.com/malleysurgical 1. LIKE their page 2. Go to the photo album "photo contest" 3. go to MY before and after photos (KATIE-FIRE WYER) 4. LIKE both photos.. that is how you vote! Thank you soooooo Much!!! This is a very close contest! my blog is: www.nursekatieann.blogspot.com