jayres14

Whoa! Those are expensive rewards! But you will totally earn and deserve them! Let me know if you need a partner for that Ireland trip!!

I was sick and tired of not wanting to be in pictures. I would have to be standing or be behind someone to take them. I am not at my goal yet, but every day I look a little better. I even took racy pictures for my husband for a Valentine's Day present. I almost cried looking at them and not being ashamed anymore! I am so excited for you and I hope you have success. It is great to not feel sick and tired much anymore.

I hope someone can give me uplifting news/experience. Has anyone lost 50 to 100 pounds and not need a tummy tuck? I was banded in July 2011 at 218 pounds. I have lost about 40 and weighed in at 177 today, but I still want to lose 30 more pounds to be at my goal. My arms and legs are at normal size but the weight in my stomach seems to be permanently attached and my stomach seems to be just as flabby as it was 40 pounds ago. I am beginning to notice that "Apron tummy" I keep reading about. I am exercising and doing core building cardio, but I am afraid my skin might be the culprit! I was hoping at 31 years old, I would still be young enough that my skin would firm up too. It is very frustrating to be at the smallest weight i've been since high school and still feel like a fat girl! From my research, I have read that you need to be at a normal BMI for at least 6 months before flirting with the idea of plastic surgery. I am hoping that the fat that is still in my stomach will shrink and so will the skin around it by the time I get to goal. Have any of you lost a significant amount of weight and not needed a TT or other forms of plastic surgery? What did you do or use? I still have to pay off this one, I would hate to have to spend more money! Thanks for your time and advice

Excited to see updated pics!

Wine! I love wine! But I can only have one glass cause any more and I am DRUNK!!

No gum or popcorn but I eat peanuts like it's going out of style, especially pistachios. Maybe we are not supposed to but so far, so good, and I am in the green zone.

Jachut hit the nail on the head in the first paragraph. Nothing has changed being banded for me other than I eat A LOT less than I used to. I can eat bread, in small quantities, I can drink alcohol, although it doesn't take much to get me drunk anymore, I can go out and do exactly what I used to, i am just more careful. Maybe I am one of the more fortunate ones and am not so limited as others. I lose slower than some on this site, but I still LOSE! I had a BMI of 34 when banded with no other complications. I paid for it on my own. I didn't want to wait until problems came about for my weight. If you are not ready for what might come, you may want to wait and do more research. Good luck in whatever you do.

I guess I am different than everyone else. I tell anyone that asks. I am not ashamed by what I did, I am proud of my dedication and hard work. I could give a sh*t less if they think I "cheated" or didn't do it "naturally." Does a mother cheat if she has a baby through IV? Is my grandmother cheating life since she has a pacemaker? Is my best friend's mom "taking the easy way out" by getting a breast job after losing a breast to cancer? The medical world offers us an abundance of things to increase our happiness and health. I guess it is more of a guilty feeling to accept a compliment for losing weight when you keep the key to your weight loss a secret, and let's face it, the band IS the key. If a co worker or a friend or even a mere acquaintance asks me what I am doing to lose weight, I simply tell them I got a lap band and am now eating less than I used to. End of story!! I don't go in to details, I don't explain my decision, I don't ask their opinions. I may follow up with the comment that it's the best thing I ever did. That usually keeps the nay sayers quiet. Maybe it is my bluntness that actually catches THEM off guard. I haven't had a single person say anything negative to me and it's been almost 6 months. I'm not saying you should yell out to the world you got banded. Everyone has a preference on who they share this info with, but be prepared to hear the ignorant comments from people that you just have to soak up and can't rebuttal.

I've been banded since July. I have had PCOS for a long time and had to go on Metformin to get pregnant with my daughter 5 years ago. My periods used to be irregular, sometimes 6 weeks apart, sometimes 8 weeks apart, never regular. Since banded and lost some weight, my periods are coming every 4th Saturday. I could almost bet the farm that I would start yesterday, and I did! My PCP said to be very careful b/c I was fertile. I can tell my hormones are regulating themselves due to the weight loss. You didn't say in your post if you were banded or not. If you are, give it some time before you spend a lot of money on treatments. If you are not banded, it is definitely a good prospect for multiple reasons. Good luck and keep us posted.

Sometimes overeating without realizing it that causes pressure in the chest is a negative. Also, the daily fear that something will happen to my band is overwhelming. I am self pay so things could get pretty expensive!

When I slowly realized I was always too tired to play with my daughter who has autism. I would want to come home in the afternoons and just sleep or lay around. She would always try to get me to play and I would turn on the TV so she'd watch it and let me rest. I realized I wasn't being the best mommy for her and decided on the band. With little to no research three weeks later, I was banded and I must say this has been easy for me.

I would never yell or shake my finger at you for cheating and I doubt most on here would either. I "cheat" all the time. I had pizza for lunch 30 minutes ago! The only difference is I only ate one small piece instead of half a pizza like I used to eat. That's only 110 calories and will keep me full until dinner. I know people are driven by the healthy eating and I totally agree. If i eat something that Jillian Michaels would smack me for, I just make sure to eat a small amount . It's win, win for me. I am still losing and not neglecting myself. All is not lost, you messed up one time and you'll mess up a lot more than that. We are all human and we didn't get in to the situation of needing the band by making right choices to begin with. You just need to make sure you follow doctor's orders in the first few stages until you are healed from surgery. And BTW, every time I have to go on liquids before and after fills, my stomach gurgles, even when I am not drinking anything. I heard it was because your stomach is churning like it is supposed to but has no substance to break down. My BMs are also a lot more runny, (TMI, I know). Good luck and never give up hope on yourself!!

I can eat hot dogs with no problem. I just cut them up the same as I do for my daughter, in very small pieces. Hope I don't jinx myself!

Has anyone had large stretch marks on their stomach before surgery that hopefully went away after weight loss or at least became less noticeable?? I am hoping to hear some good news!!

Today, a lady at work said "here comes skinny minny." OMGoodness, I haven't been called that in......never!!! Yay!! I told them I still weighed 178 though (i know, I'm my own worst enemy) and still had another 28 pounds to lose. The woman said if I lost another 28 pounds, i'd blow away.

So, five years ago, I had PCOS and went on metformin to get pregnant with my daughter. It only took three months on the meds to conceive. My periods were always sporadic and never consistent. I have been banded for five months now and have lost almost 40 pounds. For the past three months, I have started my period on the 10th of every month, like clockwork! That hasn't happened since high school!! When I saw my PCP, he said to be very careful unless I am ready for another baby b/c all signs point to me being fertile! I spoke to my gyno about getting pregnant and what I would have to do about the band and he said I wouldn't have to do any adjustments as long as I was taking my prenatal and folic acid. He said the baby gets all the nutrition first and mostly from the vitamins and the rest is for mommy. He said it is a common misconception that a pregnant woman is eating for two. He said the woman only needs to up her calorie intake the last few months of the pregnancy by 300 calories, which can be achieved by one extra snack. Losing the weight should definitely help you get pregnant, but I agree with the other posters that you should wait a while and let your body get as healthy as possible before you conceive. It will be better for mom and baby!! Good luck and hope all works out for you and all of us!!

I had to get to 5.5 cc in my 10 cc band before feeling restriction. I lost another 11.5 pounds with that number and had to go in yesterday for another .5 fill for a total of 6cc. I am hoping this is all i'll need for a while. Only 28.5 pounds to my goal!!

My husband was really sick over the holidays. He vomited a lot! Watching and helping him got me thinking, what happens if I get sick like this and vomit? There is no way all that can come up through my band. Have any of you gone through this? Did you have to rush in for an unfill?

It could be the tube connecting the band to the port. I could feel mine after the surgery b/c the surgeon tacks the tube to the inside of the skin to help position the port and keep it in place until the scar tissue grows around the parts. I can often times feel the tube move to the outside of my rib cage, it is rather annoying.

Yay for you!! This is a wonderful post and I hope to be there with you soon!

Why would you feel like a fraud? We are not cheating just because we have a tool. Is someone cheating because they have a treadmill instead of walking outside. If anything else, we have it much harder than normal dieters. If we gorge ourselves on food, we will get sick, have horrible chest pains, acid reflux, and possible vomiting. We must give up foods like bread and pasta that we once were addicted to. As much as I love subway and even though it is low in fat, I still haven't been able to eat it since the surgery because of the bread. We have to plan meals, go in the liquid stage on fill days, and give up all our carbonated beverages. We have to work just as hard as anyone else and i will not and you should never feel like a fraud! Good luck getting back on the horse, you are worth it!